


Sweet Nothings

by Gilje



Category: One Piece
Genre: Dorks, Falling In Love, First Meetings, Fluff, Going Merry - Freeform, M/M, Marriage, Modern AU, Multi, Romance, Slow Build, don't mind me i'm just fooling around, from strangers to friends to lovers
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-09-05
Updated: 2015-08-20
Packaged: 2018-02-16 06:16:49
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 12
Words: 61,349
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2259099
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Gilje/pseuds/Gilje
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"Maybe you're not perfect, and probably I'm the most imperfect person you know, but when we are together it doesn't matter, because we are perfect." </p>
<p>Hard work, long days, the same train to home. There are many ways out there to bound two people together. Especially when unknown connections were already forming in the background.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Long Journey

**Chapter 1**

" _Now our desire leads us_  
On another journey  
So let us depart again  
Come with me now  
Just as the promise says"  
\- Long Journey – Gábor Presser

 

The train rushed through the humid afternoon almost soundlessly. Sanji was gazing out dully onto the gray clouds leaden from rain, discovering his own worn reflection amidst the water drops running down the window.

Zeff had accepted too many events again. The Baratie had been reserved months ahead by soon-to-be-wed couples, who, hoping for the beautiful color-display of autumn, had all wanted to marry in that time of the year. Well, _he_  hadn't been really to blame for the strong cold-wave that had covered Japan, washing away all their rose-colored dreams with its weeks-worth of rain and dampness. As well as it hadn't been Zeff's fault that he had gone down with the flu during the busiest days, along with some of the cooks.

To top it off, a week before, the old good-for-nothing had stumbled into the kitchen, his head spinning with fever, loudly declaring that a mere cold would not be able to get him off his feet, and then proceeding to launch himself onto the staff with the force of a whole army of angered toreadors. Sanji had just been about to drag him out, when Zeff had suddenly stopped still, had grown dizzy and then had tumbled to the floor. Thus, the old fool had become bedridden for not one, but two reasons: firstly, to be cured of the gooey mucus, and secondly, to let the swelling of his ankle – the result of his fall – decrease.

For the above reasons, when Sanji was not busy with running the restaurant, he was sprinting about in the kitchen to try to compensate for the lack of cooks.

Sanji sighed deeply, and let himself be swept passively by the crowd streaming in. The door of the wagon fell closed with a thunder, behind the back of an old lady who had just boarded the train. The granny glanced around in a perplexed manner, clutching her small, brown bag tightly to her chest, whilst adjusting the tufts of the green shawl she was wearing on her back bent with age.

"Madame," Sanji nodded to the lady. The old woman's astonished gaze wandered between the blond's hand that was stretched towards her, and his politely smiling face, while holding her tiny bag even closer. The cook recognized it right away – it was the typical reaction when you have to go to a place you don't really feel like being, or don't know your way around. "Madame, forgive me if I have frightened you. Are you traveling around these parts for the first time? If you like, I will gladly help you and tell you where to go."

A relieved smile spread across the old lady's face, her skin folding into thousands of smile wrinkles at the corners of her eyes and mouth.

"Oh... Oh, thank you, young man, you're very kind." She accepted the hand held to her. "I need to get to the Tokyo Tower. My grandson is waiting for me there with the group. He's a very talented painter, you know..." The lady said in a dreamy voice, her eyes bearing a gentle glow behind her semicircular spectacles.

"I see. Then you will have to get off after two stations," the blond replied in a calm voice, ignoring the flagrant insults of the teen he had dragged up from his seat to give room for the granny. "After we have stopped, just follow the crowd. Most of the people getting off at that station are headed in that direction."

"Thank you, young man." The pale light from outside shimmered across the lady's hair, rolled up in whirls of locks. "I'm so glad there are still such –"

Sanji didn't hear the rest, because in the meantime, the train had come to a stop, and the wave of people pushing inside took him with their momentum. He could barely keep himself from cursing aloud as the bodies hitting against his unstoppably pushed, turned and shoved him more and more inside... Finally, the wagon calmed down somewhat, and the train was rolling once again. The cook blindly grabbed a handrail when the mass of passengers started to move again, losing his freshly-gained balance.

This day couldn't have been worse. Not to mention that Sanji had always hated public transport. How great it would be, he thought, to finally arrive home, strip off his clothes which had almost grown to his skin from two days of wearing, take a shower and after a glass of Merlot, fall asleep to the sounds of the TV. His teeth ground together with tense anticipation.

However, as he let his disgusted glance wander over his surroundings, something interesting caught his eye. He didn't know why the sight seemed so strange to him all of a sudden, but then it clicked.

On the farther end, a peculiar figure was sitting hunched up on the edge of a seat. His baseball cap pulled down into his face, the guy was sleeping so soundly as if he was surrounded with complete silence and peace, despite the ever-louder noise and the sweaty and irate office workers pushing against him from every side. His legs, clad in gray jeans, were opened loosely, his arms woven together on his white-green sweater covered chest. Total calmness radiated from the man's posture and slightly slouched shoulders, and the cook could have sworn that the curious stranger – who had green,  _green_  locks of hair peeking forth from under his cap – was at least six feet under.

The cook felt his overly tense muscles loosen up, and the pumping also quieted down somewhat in the thick vein on his temples. As he kept watching him, Sanji could feel the man's tranquility getting carried over onto him, secluding him from his annoying surroundings, and after a while, he could only register the madness around as a blurred, outer sphere.

"The next stop is XYZ station. Dear passengers, XYZ station is our next stop..."

Sanji's head jerked up. The bubble had burst, and he made his way towards the exit. How had he not noticed that the had already passed by five stops?!

The door barely closed behind him, and when he turned around, for a second he could still spot the gleam of the AC/DC badge on that baseball cap's brim among the train's distorted shapes, as it got into motion again. He realized he probably should have shaken the guy awake. The blond had been traveling these lines for, give or take, five years, but he had never seen him around before. The poor idiot had probably fallen asleep, and when he would wake up later and realize, he wouldn't know where he had ended up.

"Dammit," Sanji mumbled, then followed the crowd towards the escalator. "Well, doesn't matter."

He didn't even notice he was smiling all the way home.

**TBC**


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Zoro is Alice of Wonderland.

"Graaaah..." The cook groaned after yet another sneeze.

The train was even chillier than usual that day. Sanji was hoping that it was just because the maintenance guys had not been prepared for the sudden wave of cold, and it was not Zeff's shitty flu claiming him as its new victim.

The plans for relaxation the day before had been over when the numb slumber invoked by the combination of a hot bath and a glass of Merlot had been cleaved in half by Patty's phone call. The sous-chef had explained among a long row of curses that a helper – hired by the blond, definitely – had mixed up the menus for that week's weddings, and they had had no clue which couple had ordered what. Finally, Sanji had found Zeff's notes and they had managed to set things right. What's more, the apprentice had also been able to keep his job. In exchange for these two results, however, they all had had to endure an intense, one-and-a-half-hour cussing session from the blond.

Sanji leaned his head against the handrail sleepily, and closed his eyes. The train line was usually pleasantly empty in the early morning hours, especially on a Saturday morning. But the cook feared that if he had sat down, he wouldn't have been able to stay awake for another minute. So instead, he let himself drift into that comfortable state of still being awake, yet feeling the first waves of sleep stroke over him.

He only faintly registered the train stopping and the doors swinging open.

Silent fumbling, feet stomping, rustlings of a plastic bag...

"Wait, let me help."

"Oh, thank you, but it's really not–"

"By the time you push the carriage in, someone'll grab and kidnap them. Or the doors close, and then it's to wave bye-bye."

"Um..."

Sanji raised his gaze. At the door, there stood the guy he had seen the day before. And in front of him was a young mother, who handed over a baby carriage to him with a doubtful expression, and then turned to lift her two enormous shopping bags up onto the train, as well.

The green-hair had been right; the door slammed closed not a second after the lady had jumped up into the wagon. She put the bags down to her feet, and now with a smile, she took the baby carriage over again, and sat down. The guy nodded to her, then turned to the left and threw himself down onto the seat next to Sanji. Judging from his posture, he would be fast asleep again within minutes.

" _So I was right,"_  Sanji thought.  _"This idiot really slept through his destination."_

He prodded the man's knee with his own, to which he received a low grumble as a response, and the brim of the baseball cap rose somewhat.

"What?"

"You don't have a very inviting face, do you?"

The cap lifted up further, and Sanji could finally peek beneath it. Brown skin, long, angular face. The slanted eyes were a tad puffed with somnolence, looking much smaller than they probably were. And indeed, green locks of hair. But why on earth green?

"You're one to talk, with a prissy-ass pasta-face like that between your shoulders. Especially with those black circles around your eyes so big that it's as if you used make-up."

Something snapped inside Sanji's head. He could almost hear it.

He didn't expect a reply like that. Most people would have just been evasive or remained silent instead of standing up to the challenge. But this guy threw the ball right back.

The blond felt his head clear, and the circulation speed up in his body. The corners of his mouth dropped.

"Well, I at least know where to get off, and am not that stupid to fall asleep and travel past my stop. Is that stubble? Don't tell me you couldn't find your way home without a map, Marimo-kun."

Surprise and a moment of embarrassment swam across the green haired man's face, then his brows furrowed and his mouth twisted into a mock grin.

"But  _I_ at least know how my fly works, shithead."

Sanji raised his eyebrow.

"Huh...?"

The other nodded.

"Your zipper, dart-brow."

The cook's eyes grew wide. He quickly reached down to his pants, tugged the zipper of his fly up hastily and looked around to make sure nobody saw. Muffled, snorting laughter could be heard from beside his leg.

"You son of a–"

"The next stop is PQR Station. Dear passengers, PQR station is our next stop..."

He didn't have time to finish his sentence before the train began to slow down. The dark skinned guy didn't move a muscle, just kept looking at him provocatively, his arms crossed on his chest. That off-handed smirk still tugged the corners of his lips up. Sanji snarled at him, then turned left to stomp out the door.

~ oOo ~

Zoro pulled his cap into his face and the collar of his sweater higher on his neck, stepping out of the train two stops later, and heading for the stairs with quick steps. He fought himself through the crowded main street, then came smaller streets to walk on, twisting up on the side of the only mildly steep hill. The green-hair trod more slowly there, not taking his eyes off the surrounding buildings and street signs. Koshiro had explained the way to him for at least two hours the day before, and had made him say it back to him three times, to make sure that his student cursed with a peculiar directional sense wouldn't lose his way.

For his sensei had opened a new dojo recently, far from the noise and the crowd of the town, with the goal to provide a safer environment for children to train and travel home in. And of course, the slopes of the garden suburbs provided a great terrain for some warm-up jogging, and if the weather was kind, training could be held outdoors on the nearby patches of green environment.

So Zoro immediately accepted to take over the mini-dojo (was how they called it amongst themselves) when Koshiro had announced a few days ago that he would need a substitute, due to him having to tend to the more advanced students to ready them for the upcoming kendo tournament. Zoro himself didn't participate in the competition, anyway – so far he had won the national cup three times.

He didn't have any more aspirations along that path. His goal lied elsewhere, his tools of achieving it resting in the leather sheath across his back.

Zoro loved the stoic old man with his melancholic smile with all his heart. Not only because Koshiro had treated him as his own son after he had lost his daughter Kuina. There was something about the personality of the man with whisps of gray in his hair, which took a hold of anyone who spent more than a few minutes in his presence. No wonder all the neighborhood kids were practicing kendo, Zoro thought to himself, grinning.

He raised his head suddenly and halted. He looked around, then glanced at the piece of paper with a note on it in his hand, which Yosaku had given to him the day before the last. His eyes found their way to a thick, red line across the map – which was, by the way, drawn up especially detailed for him.

" _Zoro bro!"_ The note said.  _"If you went past this line, you're in the wrong place! Get your ass back!"_

He scratched his head, sighed and turned around. He had come two blocks too far... That was close.

~oOo~

Nami warmed her palms around the hot cup.

"So you're sure about this?" She asked with sparkling eyes.

"Yes, it seems that way," Vivi giggled, and took a sip of her hot chocolate. "Kohza told me Franky asked him for advice about the ring."

"Luckily so. If we leave it to that mecha-fanatic, Robin would get a golden winged nut as an engagement ring."

"Or a steering wheel!"

"A lifebelt!"

"It's too late for that now!"

The two girls broke out in loud laughter. Nami slipped out of her turtleneck – the hot drink and the warmth of the blue haired girl's home did their thing.

"And you're not worried about what a hardcore anarchist would choose? Poor Robin might even get a golden skull."

"I think she would like that."

"True that!"

Nico Robin, the famous archeologist and museum curator, was indeed a big fan of ghost stories. Only her closest acquaintances knew about the fact that she also was the author of the celebrated horror novel 'Weary Harmonies', which she had published under the pen name Ohara Falls.

"But really, they can't mess it up. I talked with Kohza a little before they left. I explained him some of the possible consequences if he should make the wrong choice..."

An evil little smile appeared on Vivi's face, a very rare sight to behold when it came to her. Nami was sure her friend had taken it up from her. The lovely blue-hair had always been a little shy, but she stood up firmly for her friends. And it was no time for fooling around; Robin deserved the best, and that was that.

"Consequences?" Nami wondered, lifting her cup to her lips.

"Exactly," the other girl nodded. "And believe me, he would do  _anything_  to avoid them. So he'll send the pictures of the possible candidates soon."

"Then why didn't we go with them?" The redhead asked, her brow raised.

"Because, my dear," Vivi leaned forward, smirking, "theoretically, we don't know a word about this."

"Oh!" Nami nodded to that. "He's planning for it to be a surprise?"

"That's right."

"And do we know where the engagement party's going to be at?"

"In the Baratie..."

~oOo~

Zoro was examining the scribblings on the note further, when suddenly, he picked his head up as something neon green came into his field of vision. There was a massive arrow made of paper stuck to a fence. He leaned closer to try to make out the wry letters written on it:

" _Zoro-san!"_

As he glanced up, he noted that the fences along the road were full of similar arrows. He stared at them wide-eyed, then shook his head. How did he not notice sooner?

On the next one, a few steps away, he could read the following:  _"Thank God, you finally noticed! You've made a big detour, you know!"_  And also:  _"Hurry up! You must be late already!"_

Zoro hurried his steps. He didn't want to pay any more attention to the writings on the arrows he was passing by. The ones he did happen to make out, however, were mostly varied insults and little drawings. After about five hundred meters, he spotted a street on his left-hand-side, on the corner of which three children were stomping their feet insecurely under an umbrella, dressed in the mini dojo's uniform. Their faces lit up as they saw him approach.

"Zoro-san?" One of them asked, a brown haired boy with glasses.

"Yes," Zoro breathed out, and the children beamed at him.

"Finally, you've arrived! I was just telling Onion and Carrot to just forget the waiting and hold the training session ourselves," another one with smarmed, greenish hair mouthed off.

"Onion? Carrot?" Zoro raised an eyebrow.

"Here," the kid with glasses raised his hand.

"And here," another one, an about eight years old boy with a lengthy face chimed in.

"Onion, Carrot," Zoro nodded, then glanced at the third child, and he knotted his eyebrows and wrinkled his forehead as he examined him. "Pepper?"

The three boys stumbled back in unison:

"How did he know?!"

"Just a hunch," Zoro sighed and rubbed his neck, which had become an easy target for chilly drops of rain due to him bending over. "Well? Ready to go?"

"Of course! Just follow the white rabbit!"

"White ra–?"

"This one, right here!" Carrot pointed to the top of their umbrella, where, indeed, two long rabbit ears made of paper were fastened. "Sensei said you surely wouldn't lose your way like this! Just don't fall behind, Zoro-san!"

Zoro gritted his teeth as he followed the kids. So he was supposed to be Alice? Then what, pray tell, was the old man? The Mad Hatter?

No, the green haired man thought, shaking his head. He had a more fitting person for that title. And if Koshiro was true to his word...

"We're here!"

Zoro found himself in front of a tall wooden gate. As its wings opened, he felt like the wheels of time would have spun backwards. The dojo's ground; the fountain with bamboo stalks, the wide fore- and the rocky back garden – it all looked almost exactly the same as the one they had left years ago. Koshiro had been surrounded by the memories of his deceased daughter too much, which had worn the man out greatly, so they had decided to move. And where else would people need enlightenment more than in the vicinity of a big city?

The green-head smiled. Kuina... The whole place sang her name, celebrated her. There was no trace of the numb, gray sadness that had clung to the old walls. Instead of the pains of loss, this place was glowing, rejoicing in the fact that the girl had once been walking this Earth.

Zoro let himself drift a while more with the waves of the past. They had fought through hundreds upon hundreds of nights, and she still had been the only opponent he couldn't beat. Respect and appreciation. Passion. If she hadn't fallen down those stairs, it could have even been love. But back then, they had both been far too young for feelings such as these.

He caressed along the sheath lying across his back.

" _We're not far off, Ichimonji."_

"Oooi, Zoro-san!" A sharp yell jolted him out of his daze. Pepper and Carrot waved to him from under the dripping pent-roof, and Carrot folded his hands around his mouth again: "Don't give up now! You're almost there!"

Zoro grinned.

" _These little idiots, wait until I catch you!"_  He thought to himself, then with a single leap, he was already on the terrace, in pursuit of the shrieking trio.

TBC


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Chimney is a sweetheart and some connections revailing

 

Chapter 3

„Sweet baby Jesus, Sanji! You look like a pile of shit! Sit your scrawny ass down before you head-butt the pasta!"

Sanji buried his forehead into his palm. The blunt throbbing lurking around in his head since morning had intensified into a shattering headache. He hated to admit that Patty was right – like he generally denied to do anyplace, in any situation –, but this was one of those moments where he had to succumb to it. He pulled his pack of cigarettes out of his pocket and knocked his fresh stick to it twice before adjusting it between his lips.

"Shut up, asshole. Your voice makes the meals rot."

"Hey, know your place, you little...!"

"Patty, Patty don't listen to him–"

"Shut up, Carne! I'll fillet him, tenderize him and marinate him, that little piece of...!"

The flood of curses gradually lost in volume as Sanji exited the kitchen. The cook didn't go far; he sat down on one of the chairs in the hallway connecting the kitchen and the dining hall. He sighed deeply and leaned the back of his head against the wall.  _Please, let it only be fatigue..._

"He'f hight foh onfe. You heally looh fhale foway."

Sanji opened his eyes and glanced before his feet. At the wall in front, there squatted a black haired boy, with a huge meaty chunk in his mouth. Unlike the new employees, the blond couldn't be scared shitless anymore by the guy's sudden, mysterious appearances. The newbies usually made up new and increasingly more impossible theories to solve the puzzle of this ability. Sanji was sure that soon a nice little sum would pile up from all of the bets, and Luffy would gather more money out of them than from his actual job. Sadly, the dimension portal and the Spider Man theory seemed to falter.

The answer was much simpler than that, however. Where there was food in a five hundred meter radius, Luffy was quick to show. This belonged to the eternal, foundational laws that held nature and the universe together.

Luffy stuffed the rest of his food into his mouth.

"Wouldn't some fresh air do you good? Or just lie down in the office. I'll bring you pasty sandwich!"

The blond saw right through him. That would have been the perfect alibi for him to sneak into the kitchen.

"Just let me sit in peace a little," he groaned, and he began to rummage around in his pockets for his lighter when a thin little hand found his arm.

"Sanji-san! Uncle Zeff will kick your butt again if he catches you smoking near the kitchen!"

The high-pitched, shrieking voice came from the middle of a little head with two enormous, dirty blonde braids sprouting from the top. Its owner went approximately until the sitting cook's shoulder in height, but only because her legs barely even touched the ground in her tiptoeing.

"Hello Chimney," Sanji smiled and kissed the little girl on the back of her hand. "Every day is full of joy if I can spend it in the company of such a beautiful princess like you are~ 3"

A huge grin spread across the girl's face, which made her look even more like a comical doll.

"Hey, Chimney, you haven't been avoiding your Math homework, right?" Luffy asked with a seriousness very unlike him.

"Of course not," she grimaced with disgust, "I just brought Sanji-san something." And with that, she revealed her right hand she had been keeping behind her back, in which she was holding a bright yellow, steaming cup. "It's milky grits with lemon and honey," she explained as the cook carefully took it from her. "The guys in there told me you weren't feeling well. Auntie Kokoro always makes me this when I'm sick."

"F-for me?" The blond whispered, staring at the treat in disbelief.

"Of course it's for you! I've prepared it for the first time ever just for you," she straightened herself up proudly. "I don't want you to get sick!"

"Marry me."

The little girl started giggling.

"Hey, Chimney, you didn't make me any?" Luffy cut in, his voice thick with sulking.

"You bet I didn't! You have just eaten my afternoon snack!"

"I know you have one more!"

"That's auntie Kokoro's!"

Sanji regarded the spat with a smile, while enjoying his sweet grits with a spoon. He remembered the day when Luffy had introduced the five year old girl to them, and had asked Zeff to let her stay until her aunt had finished work. The girl had clung to the black haired boy so much in the beginning that everyone had been shocked to the core when it had turned out that they weren't related. For Kokoro was the older sister of Dadan, who had been asked by Garp to look after his two grandsons, Ace and Luffy, when he had had to depart to oblige to his duties at the marines. And so the children had basically grown up together.

Ever since then, Chimney had usually been spending her afternoons at the restaurant, after Luffy had picked her up from school in between two deliveries. And later, it was from there that Kokoro took her home, after her shift had ended.

The cook finished his special treat. He must have been very deep into his thoughts, for he hadn't noticed that in the meantime, Luffy was telling a story to Chimney with broad gesticulation, whilst the little girl held her tummy as she laughed.

"... And then the water lifted the hose up so high that it fell right into the cake! Shishishishi!"

"Nooooo, no, please...!" The girl cough-giggled, pleading for mercy.

Luffy was grinning proudly when he met Sanji's questioning look.

"I was just telling her about Ace's birthday party."

"Please tell me you left Sabo's belly-dancing act out!"

"Riiiiight! I almost forgot!"

"What? Sabo? What did he do?" The little girl wondered with big, sparkling eyes, after wiping away her tears. Sabo always was the favorite.

Luffy poked her nose.

"I'll tell you when your Math homework is ready!"

"Aaaaaah, not fair!" The little girl pouted, then ran straight for her books.

"Thank you for the grits, princess! It was heavenly!"

"You're welcome!" The blond girl shouted back, then disappeared in the turn of the hallway towards the office.

"This girl is sweeter each day," Sanji mused while searching for his lighter. "Which reminds me, we haven't met with those idiots for a long while."

"Franky's planning some kind of get-together for Saturday. He asked me to tell you."

"I don't think I can go," the cook sighed. He lit his cigarette and blew out a long streak of smoke."Two events are planned for that day, even."

"Dammit. I was hoping to introduce you to someone. I've been wanting to for a while, I think you two would be great friends. Guess what, he once drank Kokoro under the table!"

"Whoa, that  _is_  a feat! But I really can't. An external job in the morning and a wedding party in the evening. I'll call Franky later to apologize."

"Ah, it'll be alright. You know what a flexible guy he is."

"Sure I do," Sanji nodded with a grin. "SUUUUUUUUPER flexible."

Luffy's own grin grew wider.

"This didn't sound perverted at all."

The two idiots peered at each other, and laughter broke out of both of them.

"Sa-Sanji..." Luffy panted after they went back to breathing more or less evenly again.

"Huh?"

"Give me some food... I'm starving."

~ oOo ~

The small hall was filled with harsh panting.

Zoro looked over the beaten lot. Most of the kids had sweat their clothes dripping. Pepper and Carrot were standing opposite each other in the front row, staring at each other with stubborn eyes, their teeth clenched tightly together. Onion was lying on the floor at their feet, completely exhausted. The two boys could barely hold onto their bamboo sticks, their moves grew heavy, their shoulders were quivering even in the basic stance.

Zoro nodded his head approvingly. Even though he had driven them mercilessly, nobody from the fifteen members of the group stopped training. Except, of course, the boy with glasses, who had been hit on the nape by one of Carrot's swings and was now lying peacefully at the edge of the tatami.

The amicable, yet powerful aura surrounding the old sensei had persuaded even these children to obey Koshiro's every word, without the man having had to raise his voice even once.

Zoro swung his own stick under his arm and clapped his palms together.

"Alright, alright, that's enough! We'll take a one-hour break!"

The children stumbled onto the flooring with loud moans and groans. While lying there, Pepper and Carrot were debating who's arm could move less. The argument ended with the mentioning of multiple amputation. The longer the green haired man watched them, the bigger his grin grew.

"Hey, Trufa, Pippin! Gather up the third hobbit 'til I'm back!"

Accompanied by the kids' outraged voices, Zoro walked out the door and made his way towards Koshiro's room. If the whole building had been set up like the exact replica of the old one, then he had to look for the thir–

_Toilet._

–fourth room on the left.

He slid the door open and sighed with relief. He managed to find the right room on the other side of it.

Zoro shook his head. He couldn't have lost his way in the place where he had spent almost twenty years of his life. Even the furniture in the room had been arranged according to how he remembered. This took away even the smallest of feelings that he was the victim of some unknown plotting.

His stomach gave another loud growl. Zoro stroked over the haramaki hugging his waist. His body had been trying to notify him ever since morning of the fact that the dry crescent from last night and the morning coffee gulped down in a hurry was worth a rat's fart, thank you very much.

As soon as he set foot inside, he noticed the neatly prepared envelope on top of the round table. Though, before opening it, he stepped to the home altar to light the incense under the picture of a black haired girl. Even though it had been a rare sight, each time Kuina had smiled, she had seemed years younger, and Zoro had always found himself smiling ear-to-ear, as well.

Sometimes, she had almost seemed like an ordinary girl, he continued the thought. One summer, they had decided to catch frogs for dinner, and both of them had fallen into the lake. When Koshiro had seen them, covered in duckweed from head to toe, he had laughed so loudly that he had had to hold his stomach.

" _No one would believe you aren't siblings!"_

The two children had looked at each other in wonder. Zoro had only then noticed that the duckweed and seaweed had dried on Kuina's hair, and with the massive layer of green, she had looked like her hair had been green to begin with. In another minute, all three of them had been laughing themselves hoarse – Koshiro from the sight of the two dirty kids, Zoro at Kuina's hair and Kuina at the laughter of the other two.

Another night, he had been awakened by silent humming. Stepping over the boys lying around him, he had sneaked to the door, and had peeked out of the crack. Kuina had been sitting at the edge of the terrace, in pajamas and a light nightly robe, swinging her legs. She had been stroking the big white cat sitting next to her, its fur almost glowing in the light of the moon.

As Zoro had been standing there, he had recognized Koshiro's favorite songs among the tunes, had noticed the flower pattern on the deep violet robe. A very rare occasion to see her in such girly clothing.

" _Hey, Zoro, what are you standing there for... The toilet's on the other side..."_

Someone had touched his shoulder, an Zoro had almost jumped out of his skin. More children had been starting to stir to the noises, rubbing their eyes.

" _What the...?"_

" _Zoro..."_

" _... what's going on...?"_

The hair had been standing on edge on Zoro's back, and he had been mumbling and pointing outside. One of them had lost his patience and had pushed him aside to have a look.

"Hey, guys!" He had shouted back gleefully. "Glowworms! Zoro found glowworms!"

Suddenly, blankets had been in the air and body had hit against body as the boys had run outside, stepping on each other's heels.

There had been no trace of Kuina until then. Only the fat white cat had been a reminder of her former presence, it having fallen into a calm slumber amongst the buzzing of the jumping and hunting boys.

That night, it had seemed like a few stray green stars had visited the boys' room, who hadn't slept much while gazing at the shiny insects. They had all woken up worn and sleep-deprived the next morning, with big, tired grins on their faces...

Zoro was shaken out of his memories by yet another hurt growl coming from the training hall. He stroked over the corner of his smiling lips, then stepped to the table, rejecting the sneaking shadow of the memory of what had happened just a few weeks after that day in time. He opened the envelope and counted the money his sensei had left him there. It was almost double the amount they had agreed on.

Zoro shook his head.

"Stubborn old man," he murmured and reached for his phone, manually dialing the familiar number by heart. After just a few rings, the call was already received on the other end.

"Luffy...?"

TBC

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Translator's note: In Hungary, we prepare grits by boiling semolina in milk and eat it sweet. Just a heads-up for those who are used to the American one. ;)
> 
> A/N: And thanks for the many sweet reviews! I hope this chapter will bring some spring into your life :D One Piece belongs to Eiichiro Oda.


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Luffy and Chimney taking alliance in mischief

Chapter 4

Luffy closed his mobile phone with a clap, and after shoving it into his jeans back-pocket, he went to look for Chimney.

Zeff's office would have seemed to be the most logical, but in truth, it wasn't really worth checking. Even though, according to the agreement, she would have had to stay in there until picked up, sitting in one place had driven the adventurous little girl to the brink of wasting away physically and mentally as early as on the very first day. After the following few weeks, every kitchen worker, each temporary and regular member of the cleaning staff, all the delivery guys, and even the guests had gotten to know the cheeky little thing, along with her loyal escort, the blue rabbit-like stuffed toy she wouldn't take a step without.

To top it off, she knew by heart what food was stored in which container of the cold storage, so Luffy could use her as his little food thief. To which she gladly obliged – first just on account of her liking him so much, and afterwards for little somethings in return.

After the third left-turn hasn't brought success with it, getting dangerously close to the dry goods storage, Luffy stopped and scratched his head in wonder, just when he could hear familiar noises coming from the main hall. He ran down the short flight of stairs, across the washroom, and leaping out the door, he came to a halt at the bar.

On the stage to his right, the band was just setting up their instruments for the night's event. The musicians went tho and fro with practiced ease around the piano in the center. A ridiculously tall figure was sitting at the sizable instrument, deftly accompanying the improvised drumming melodies of little Chimney sitting next to him, with a huge grin on his face. The composition would have almost been good on the ears, if only the girl hadn't added her non-existent singing talent to it.

According to legend, the dent along the pianist Brook's forehead had come to be when he sang karaoke with Kokoro on one of the Christmas parties. Sadly enough, the enthusiastic little Chimney had inherited her aunt's serious case of non-musicality. Luffy could almost hear the crack spreading further beneath the exuberant afro, driving the ingenious artist closer inch by inch to his early departure of this sad world.

He thought it was the right time to act.

"Oi, Brook!" He headed towards them, waving his arms in the air. "What's up?"

"Luffyyyyy..." The guy with the afro showed visible signs of relief in the suddenly descending silence. "Nothing much, man, just getting ready for tonight's gig. You' gonna be here, too?"

"Heheee, sure, I wouldn't miss it for anything!" The boy with the straw hat grinned, halting his steps when he reached the front of the podium. "Hi guys!"

"Hey Luffy! Are you gonna pig into the wedding cake again?"

"Hey, that only happened once! And how should I have known that they wanted to take the leftovers away? More than half was already missing when it got to me!"

"When it got to the cold storage, you mean," Thomas grinned, with a huge cello in his arms. "I think it was pretty obvious they wanted to have the rest."

"And you didn't bring me any, either," Chimney pouted. "I've heard it was an ice cream cake, to boot!"

"It's why it was in the cold storage," Brook nodded.

"I couldn't bring you any... 'cause Sanji noticed me too fast. I could barely save my own skin, not to mention the food! I couldn't sit for a week after that!"

"Haha, my rear would have been useless for a month at least if Sanji had kicked me in the ass like that," said Ralph while pulling his drum set into the back-corner, dissipating the last ominous cloud from above Brook's head. The little girl was sitting at the edge of the bandstand by then, dangling her feet.

Luffy let his head hang sadly.

"He made me promise not to steal from wedding dinner leftovers ever again..."

"And you're really gonna keep it?" Ralph looked up in wonder.

Not even the shadow of his straw hat could hide the grin spreading across the boy's face.

"Thought so," Thomas snickered.

"Hey, Chimney!"

"Huh?" The little girl glanced at the face of the youth squatting down to her.

"I need some help. In exchange, I'll get you some of tonight's cake. I've heard it's gonna be a candy statue!"

In the girl's eyes, the word 'CANDY' lit up with a bright neon green glow.

"Candy...?! Of course! What do I have to do?!"

The band members laughed aloud in unison, while Luffy picked a pink slip of paper out of his pocket and squeezed it into Chimney's hand.

"The usual. But make sure you're loud enough," the black haired boy winked at her.

"Leave it to me," the grinning little girl winked back, and ran away towards the kitchen.

~oOo~

"Order! We got an order!" The little girl shouted as she ran amongst the forest of busy feet in the kitchen, waving the piece of paper in her hand.

"So early?" Patty turned around from in front of a great pot of boiling stew. "But it's barely two o'clock! The regulations state black on white that we only accept delivery orders after five!"

Chimney stopped abruptly, and making herself smaller, she blinked up at the sous-chef timidly.

"B-but I thought you'd be happy about it..." She sniffled.

The expected effect didn't come long after. The hairy, scary-looking man, who was well on the border of a height of two meters and a weight of two hundred kilos, went bright red from the collar of his shirt to the top of his head, and snatching the girl under his arm, he lifted her up in the air.

"Of course! Of course I'm happy about it! Little star of my life, you're the light in this damn run-down diner!"

With that, he pressed a hairy kiss to the giggling blond girl's cheek, and placed her back down onto the floor. He didn't exactly look it, but if nothing else, he simply loved children. Especially a certain little girl called Chimney.

"Hey, Patty, leave the poor child alone. She'll stop growing if she looks at you any longer," Sanji grumbled, holding a freshly assorted appetizer plate in his hand.

"Shut up! It's not my fault you were already screwed up as a kid!"

"What was that...?!"

"Sanji-san! Sanji-san, look!" Chimney grabbed and clung from his apron and waved the paper snippet in front of his face. "The lady with the nice voice ordered again!"

The blond put the plate down and snatched the letter. His expression turned elated.

"Ah, Monic! Oh, when will I be blessed with hearing your silky voice?" He squeezed the paper piece to his heart, whilst a teardrop rolled down theatrically on his cheek. "Time and space part us, but do not fret! May the meals speak for me, sing my burning love for you! Baron, Leo! Take over for me with the mixed plates and salads!"

The sounds of retching could be heard from multiple directions in the kitchen. Fortunately, Sanji was too carried away to notice any of it. Chimney also made tedious efforts to try and even out her facial expression as she smiled warmly and hurried out. She noticed Luffy waiting at the corner.

"So?"

"You owe me at least double the brittle for this," the little girl announced, rubbing her face where she could still feel the prickling left by the stingy moustache.

Luffy nodded.

"I'll see what I can do." That said, he stroked the pigtailed girl's head, and said girl knocked her heels together, saluting proudly.

"Aye-aye, captain!"

~oOo~

Luffy regarded the eating swordsman next to him quietly. Zoro hadn't said a word ever since he had been handed the package made by Sanji, might the black haired boy have tried how he had wanted to make him talk. He was only graced with a death-stare as his hand involuntarily wandered towards the deliciously steaming fried meat. The green haired man had launched himself onto the food with such greed as if he hadn't eaten a morsel for weeks. Which was, of course, not the case at all, seeing as it was the second week of Luffy bringing him bentos from Sanji.

Finally, Zoro lowered the soup bowl from his mouth to let out a satisfied sigh. A complacent grin spread across the black-hair's cheeks.

"You've become an addict now, huh?"

Zoro set the bowl down beside him and threw himself back into lying down. The warm meal and the fantastic combination of tastes made a pleasant buzzing tickle throughout his body. He felt the strength returning to his arms and legs. Still tasting some of the food on his tongue, he glanced at the boy.

"No. Not really."

Luffy broke out laughing:

"Hahaha! I see. Then you don't wanna eat this anymore, right?"

A bamboo sword cut into the carpet, right next to his fingers sneaking towards the soup.

"Jeez!" He squeaked, and pushed the inevitably ever-present straw hat back on his head, which had slipped forward onto his brow. "Lucky this isn't sharp."

"Get your grabby-hands near my food again," Zoro's voice was frighteningly calm as he raised the end of the sword to the boy's nose, "and we'll see how well I can slice with it."

"So you like it after all."

"Well... It's edible, kind of," he said, taking another gulp from the still lukewarm soup. "Besides," he continued, "why don't you eat in the restaurant? Since you're lazing around there the whole day, anyway."

Luffy's face distorted into an ungraceful frown.

"I'm not lazing around. I'm doing overtime! Who knows, an important call might come! Iceburg, for example, calls us pretty often nowadays around lunch time."

"Even the mayor eats at the place? This Baratie must be really something."

"It is! And even the takeout ordering period is just for show. Old man Zeff feeds everyone who winds up there hungry, or asks for it nicely, anyway. But at least he has a reason to pay overtime like this," the boy giggled, clapping the soles of his shoes together. "I still need some parts for the Merry."

"Right," Zoro mumbled with his mouth full, "how's it going with the minivan?"

"Miiiiini? You really didn't see it recen– AGH, Zoro! Watch where you spill your food!"

"Sorry," Zoro wiped his mouth with the back of his hands. "Didn't know you've gotten so finicky with your clothes."

"Me? Nah. But Sanji's gonna kill me if I wind up at the restaurant in a dirty uniform. If it was my own food, at least..." He whined, throwing longing glances at the pile of boxes at the swordsman's feet.

"... Sanji?"

"Ah, yeah! The guy I've told you about, remember? He made all this. I can't wait until you two get to know each other! I think you two'd get along!"

"Uhuh..." Zoro murmured offhandedly, buried deep at the bottom of a noodle box, then he cried out in triumph upon having pinched the last piece of reddish brown shrimp between his chopsticks. Barely in a blink of an eye, however, the shrimp was gone, and the ends of the sticks were leaning towards one another, empty.

"LUFFY!"

TBC


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Manly tears and Florence and the Machine

**Chapter 5**

 

"And this one?"

Nami glanced into the direction of the mobile phone in Vivi's hand.

"Honey, I can't see a darn thing from here. Come closer, will you?"

The blue haired girl sighed big and reluctantly got up from her seat, almost brushing the box with the remnants of pizza down onto the floor with her elbow as she leaned near the dish-rack.

"Could it be that it's time for you to get a new pair of glasses?"

"I feel offended! I only wear the ones I have if my eyes get tired from working until late, anyway."

"But you're always working late."

"Occupational hazard. Now let me see," the red haired girl turned to Vivi once again, wiping the dishwashing foam off her arms. Her forehead almost instantly creased together when she saw the jewelry appearing on the phone's display. Vivi could see how Nami started chewing the inside of her mouth.

"Weeeeeeell..."

"No."

"Giant no."

"Super no."

"Exactly." The redhead leaned over the display to watch as Vivi was typing the answer. "What's 'one week'?"

The blue-hair let out a quiet giggle.

"You know, before I let Kohza go, I thought of a little game for him. Just for good measure."

"A game?"

"Quite right," Vivi's smile spread wider as she pressed the 'SEND' button. "To motivate him a bit, I invented a ranking system. Depending on how crappy his choice is, the ranking is one week, two weeks, a month and so forth. The game begins when we've had enough of his fooling around."

"So 'one week' means...?"

"No sex."

"Ouch!" Nami remained silent for a couple of seconds, then gave the other girl a questioning look. "And are we fed up yet?"

"Not in the least. These were definitely better than the last fifteen. My darling's making progress."

"Then why did y– Ahaaa!"

"That's right," Vivi smirked. "I want to see him panic."

Nami folded her arms over her breasts and looked at her friend in a quite satisfied manner.

"You evil, evil girl. I'm proud of you."

Vivi laughed and winked at Nami:

"I've had a great mentor."

 

~oOo~

Kohza slicked his hair back with his left hand. He even styled it with the help of the pearls of sweat accumulating on his forehead.

It was bad. Very bad. He was trapped. In a trap approximately as huge as he had been in when he had to talk the D. brothers out of a predicament with Smoker. Fortunately enough, Luffy was blessed with a ridiculously small amount of artistic talent, so it hadn't been that hard to make the cop believe that he had been actually illustrated as stepping into a big piece of meat instead of a pile of dog shit, on the graffiti still fresh on the wall of the police headquarters.

Kohza's teeth still clattered whenever he thought back on that incident. Smoker had listened to his blabbering for at least a straight hour, with his unmoving gaze fixed onto him while the paint had been slowly drying onto his clothes. If the white haired man, in the end, had believed that they had just chased away the original culprits and had only used the spray-cans to try and make amends to the disgusting joke, they never found out.

He took a deep breath to try to loosen his knotted nerves, and he exhaled it while typing his answer.

"Just now it was only three days! How did we get to a week?! K."

"Thanks to the wonders of evolution. How is it coming along? V."

"This is just cruel! We agreed on the next step being five days! I want my five days back! Not fair! K."

"Get your ass back here, or one week will be the default measure from now on. Furthermore, the amount doubles at the end of each unsuccessful hour. Good luck! :) N."

The poor guy was tearing at his hair.

"I'm gonna die. I'm gonna become a monk. I'm done for," he mumbled.

"Hey bro," a large hand landed heavily on his shoulder, "you okay? You seem a little pale. And you look like you shrank..." The blue haired man examined him with his head tilted to the side. "...a good half a meter."

Kohza clenched his closed mobile phone to his chest, then glanced over his shoulder. As soon as his eyes met those staring down on him, he whirled around, and gripped the two sides of the Hawaii patterned shirt.

"CUTTYYY!"

The gigantic man backed away a few steps with his hands in the air. Cutty Flam, also known as Cyborg Franky's real name was hardly ever heard. Mostly only when some heavy stuff went down and the shit was already neck-deep. Franky himself had only heard it – in non-business related situations – on three occasions in the last ten years. And on two out of three from Robin. He only shuddered ever so slightly from the memory of those two times, instinctively trying to protect his much-suffered 'crown jewels'.

"Whoa-whoa! Man, chill! I know it's a sentimental moment, but... Aaaah, dammit all to hell, who even cares!"

The giant hugged the brown haired man to his enormous chest, patting his back with his right hand, all the while breaking out in loud sobbing in the middle of the jewelry shop. Customers with a faint heart thought it for the better to leave the premises, while others just inched closer to the display cabinets, as far away from the scene as they only could. Only the resigned saleswoman called Emma, with eyes that had probably seen a lot already, showed no facial signs of astonishment. True, even the wrinkles ran along her forehead in horizontally parallel, straight lines.

Said woman folded the curtains to the side to disappear into her office for a few moments, only to step forth to the scene once more while balancing a small tray on her palm. She placed her hand onto Franky's arm.

"Sir..."

Franky turned to look at her, his face moist with tears. Emma raised one of the paper cups.

"On the house."

The man nodded, and gulped the steaming hot chocolate down in one go.

"Thank you."

"Sir?"

The addressed Kohza took the other cup with a shaky hand. Emma then turned on her heels without another word, and left the two of them alone. Franky wiped his eyes with his thumb and glanced at Kohza. The now crinkled man was staring into his drink while muttering incoherently. The guy with the blue 'do was really starting to worry.

"Hey kiddo, don't work yourself up about–"

"... going to move to a monastery. That's it for me. I might just as well cut my balls off and store them away in a pickle jar. Or I could pulverize them and sprinkle them onto my gruel. I bet Sanji knows some good recipes..."

Franky carefully took the cup from his friend's hand and sniffed into it. Before he could make out any kind of harmful material mixed into it, the startled giant was pulled down to the eye-level of a frantic Kohza by the sleeves of his shirt.

"Cutty! Do you even have the faintest idea what kind of jewelry Robin likes?!"

Franky gave it some thought. Kohza took the wrinkles that were spawning on his forehead and between his eyebrows for a good sign.

"Think she likes..." The large man said slowly, rubbing his chin. "... maybe stuff more... special. D'you remember her bracelets with the engraved initials? She wears those all the time."

"Good," the blond man nodded, "finally some useful information." He pondered some more, before speaking up again: "What's the first thing that comes to mind when you think of her?"

A huge grin immediately spread along Franky's face. Kohza raised his hands in rejection.

"Anything else but that!"

Franky's face showed momentary disappointment, then he sank back into thinking.

"A lily," he uttered with a dreamy expression. "A lily, in the garden of a haunted castle."

The shorter man nodded approvingly. The blue-haired guy could be a huge, sappy romantic if he wanted to be. Or when he didn't pay attention.

Kohza stepped to the counter and cleared his throat.

"Excuse me."

"Yes?" Emma glanced up at him.

"Could you please show us some of your more special jewelry? Maybe in black, purple or blue colors?"

"Certainly." Emma started to pull the glass cabinet's drawers out one by one, until she reached the very last one. Franky leaned over Kohza's shoulder to watch the shop owner put a tiny velvet tray onto the counter. The two men reached all but at the same time for the ring sparkling in the middle. They lifted it up high, and turned it around a couple of times to behold it in the yellow light of the lamp.

"Perfect."

 

~oOo~

While Franky was busy with paying, Kohza quickly shot some pictures of the ring.

"What 'cha doin', bro?" Franky peeked over his shoulder.

Oh shit.

"I-I was just..."

"You sleaze, I get it now!" Franky grinned. Kohza raised an eyebrow at him.

"Huh?"

"You're collecting reference, aren't you?" The 'cyborg' took the phone without a word, and leafed through the snapshots. "Oh, these're almost exactly the ones we've been looking at! Think Vivi would prefer something simpler, tho'," he winked at his friend as he handed his mobile back to him.

"Wha... Wai– Ah, um, yeah," the blond nodded quickly. Heat spread across his cheeks, setting even his ears aflame. "That's exactly how it is. You got me there, haha...!"

Tears started to well again in Franky's eyes. He clapped Kohza on the shoulder:

"Oh, these kiddos grow up so fast!" He sighed, and wiping his face, he turned back to the saleswoman.

Kohza, meanwhile, took this opportunity to sneak into the other end of the shop and send the pictures he had made.

~oOo~

Vivi clapped her phone open, and took a glance on the display. Nami almost dropped the frying pan full of half-baked pancake from the loud scream.

"W-what happened?"

"Yesss!" Vivi turned to look at her, then back at her phone. A wide grin played over her lips.

The redhead turned the flame off, and stepping around the furniture in the apartment, she walked over to her friend. In the next moment, her eyes grew wide, and she clasped her hands to her mouth.

"Oh my goodness!"

"One ring to rule them all," Vivi whispered.

Nami nodded to that. On the occasion of the previous movie night, where more or less every one of them had gathered, they had held a Lord Of The Rings marathon. It had been a rough round. The after-effects were still notable on the crew. That was particularly true for the blue haired girl, who had just acquainted herself with the trilogy that night.

That aside, one could admit, the ring was truly beautiful. Finely-crafted, black-gold patterns of vines and laces embraced the three shapely, violet gemstones embedded in the middle. Small, sparkling diamonds twinkled on either sides of the tree jewels, as well as along the twists and turns of the vines.

"Preciousssss..." Nami's quotation might have not been similar in sounding, but it sure was on-par in creepiness.

"I can't believe they did it."

"It's worth the praise. They'd deserve a reward."

Vivi's face lit up in a faint blush. Which, of course, didn't fail to catch the red haired girl's attention.

"Ooooh~ Was there another side to the game, hmmm~?"

The other girl's cheeks turned from a light pink shade into a dark crimson. She quickly whipped her head away from the smirking Nami and started typing.

"First, let's just call the hobbits back from Isengard."

 

~oOo~

"So, is everything set?"

"Of course. Or it will be, when Franky finally gathers his courage to stand before Robin."

"Uh-oh. That doesn't sound too convincing," Nami sighed, having successfully put her boots on.

Vivi began to chuckle silently. That matched her personality so much more.

"He's almost ready, according to Usopp. He and Chopper have been his mental supports for the past couple of weeks. So, theoretically, he could ask her any minute now."

"Theoretically," the redhead repeated, reaching for her coat. "It's hard to believe that someone who's been in on every possible crazyness would be such a scaredy-cat when it's time to ask for his beloved's hand. Do you remember that night, last summer?"

"When the two of them drove butt naked around town on a motorbike while singing Backstreet Boys?"

The mere memory of it had them shaking with laughter.

"I bet neither of them want to play poke with Lucci ever again! Though I have a feeling Robin didn't exactly aim for winning..."

"That man is a real demon. But I wouldn't have minded him losing instead..."

"Vivi!" The redhead snapped at her. "You basically count as married already! For how many years have you known Kohza? Ten?"

"That's right. But I swore fealty," the girl shrugged, "not blindness."

All of a sudden, the key was turned in the lock, the door-handle was pushed down, and there stood the aforementioned man in the doorway, soaking wet from head to toe. Tiny raindrops were falling from his hair down near his boots.

"Speak of the devil. Welcome home," Nami grinned, and taking over the door-handle from him, she stepped past him outside.

"Good–" Kohza raised his hand to wave, but the door had been closed long before that. "–bye. What the hell was tha–? WOAH!"

Vivi promptly grabbed his coat to pull him close, and pressed her lips against his.

"Nothing special," she whispered to the man's parting lips, and with a shove, made his coat heavy with rain fall down onto the floor. "However, the beacons are lit," she spoke on in hushed murmurs as her hands slipped underneath the moist shirt on his back, "and the aid of every able-bodied man is called upon."

Grinning, Kohza placed his hands onto her waist, and after he had lifted the giggling girl up, he made his way with her into the apartment.

"And Rohan will answer!"

 

~oOo~

Sanji boarded the train with a quiet groan. The toe-cap of his shoe got hitched in the edge of the doorstep, but luckily, he managed to regain his balance before he could have fallen against anyone. The crowd sucked him in within a heartbeat, and he was helplessly drifting to and fro with it. The blond let his exhausted body be carried with the mass moving as one living being, when during a turn, he spotted an empty seat. He hastily grabbed the handrail right next to it and plopped down. Dropping his head back onto the windowsill, he closed his eyes and heaved a relieved sigh.

"Urgh. The last time I saw something as nasty as you was when the elephant raised its leg in the zoo."

Pain shot into Sanji's neck as he whirled his head up. Yes, there was indeed the green haired dude from that morning sitting next to him. Arms folded on his chest, blank face.

"Hello, fuckface."

"Oh no, it really is you. And here I thought I had a good day," Zoro shook his head.

"Why the hell did you sit next to me, then, if you hate my guts so much?"

"Sat next to you my ass. It was you who almost crashed onto me like a dried-up old fart."

Sanji turned to look at him.

"Agh," he waved the guy off. "I would have noticed an ugly mug like that for sure."

"Then tell me, princess: how did the wing of my jacket get under your ass?"

And so it was. The blond leaned to the side a bit to let the piece of clothing be pulled out from beneath him. As he was about to sit back, the row of people started moving anew, and a schoolboy's bag crashed into his face with full force. Grumbling, he leaned his back against the seat again.

"Hey," the green haired man poked his elbow into his side, "you okay? You look like shit. Hope you're not gonna puke your guts out in here."

"Shut up," Sanji growled at him, whilst massaging the bridge of his nose. "Work was just too much today. This is the first time I can finally sit my ass down, and lo and behold, half the town's riding on this piece of shit train! Right now I need people like a fucking hole in the head! And to top it off, I just had to leave my goddamn headphones at home today, screw it all to fucking hell!"

The man with green hair did not respond. Sanji tried to shut his surroundings out by focusing on the monotonous rattling of the train.

"Hey," a finger started to prod the side of his jeans-leg.

"What?"

Zoro, in the meantime, had leaned forward, supporting himself on his knees with help of his elbows. He was holding one half of a pair of earphones in his hand. Sanji followed its string with his eyes; the other half was in the man's left ear. The cook noticed only then the three long golden earrings hanging from that same ear. He hesitated for a brief moment, then took the small plug.

At least I'll have a reason to make fun of you if your taste in music sucks, he added mentally – on the condition that the AC/DC badge was only shimmering on the guy's baseball cap for trend purposes.

Zoro took that as a good sign, and started the playback.

After a short intro, a woman with a mysterious tone of voice started to sing from the earphones. Her voice crept under the blond's skin; he felt as though tiny fingers would caress him beneath the surface.

 

_"Time it took us_  
 _To where the water was_  
 _That's what the water gave me –_  
 _And time goes quicker_  
 _Between the two of us._  
 _Oh, my love, don't forsake me,_  
 _Take what the water gave me"_

 

The cook's muscles loosened up, the nervous tension relinquished in his shoulders, and his arms slid into his lap. His eyelids so far opened in a slit have fallen shut.

_"Lay me down;_  
 _Let the only sound_  
 _Be the overflow –_  
 _Pockets full of stones_

_Lay me down;_  
 _Let the only sound_  
 _Be the overflow –"_

The swordsman noticed the change soon enough. He pulled on the string, and while carefully leaning over the other man, he pushed the other half of the earphones into the blond's ear. Said blond hardly stirred from the unexpected contact.

And so they traveled on, with the cook sunken into the music, and the swordsman with his arms folded, expressionlessly watching the crowd.

 

~oOo~

A few minutes later, Sanji jolted awake suddenly.

"Where are we?!" After having had a look at the messaging screen, he could breathe easy again. "Phew, thank God. I thought I'd fallen asleep. I'm getting off at the next stop. Thanks a lot, Marimo."

Zoro stared down at the earplugs that were squeezed into his palm. Marimo?!

"You're welcome, shitty cook. If you need someone to baby you next time, don't be shy to ask."

"Ba–?! Hey! How did you know I'm a cook?!"

Zoro grinned wide. Bullseye.

"There were pink ducklings on your underpants this morning, right? In chef's hats, if I remember right. Very remarkable, if you ask me. Who would even wear shit like that?"

Sanji's face turned beet-red as a mix of embarrassment and anger appeared on his face. He already opened his mouth to respond, when the doors opened and the mass of people spilled out onto the pier, taking him with them, of course. As soon as he could, though, he turned around to yell on top of his lungs:

"You stinkin' bastard! I'm going to kick you in the ass until you can lick your own shit from the toe of my shoe with your own fucking mouth! I'm gonna fillet you!"

Zoro was shaking with his laughs as he extended a middle finger towards the blond. The train slowly continued on its journey, leaving the relentlessly spitting and cussing blond's curses far behind.

That wasn't half bad.

 

**TBC**

 


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A half naked proposal, and coffee for sharing, because it's always the best opportunity for fluff.

**Chapter 6**

 

The next morning also rose upon the world much too early. So early, in fact, that it found even those unprepared, who were otherwise accustomed to wake with the first rays of the sun. To Sanji, at least, that was exactly how it seemed to be, as the cold gust of wind accompanying the morning train found its way to his delicate skin through that microscopic spot of his neck not covered by his scarf. The cook felt as if icy water had washed over his back. He re-adjusted the deep blue fabric, squeezed the warm bottle inside his coat pocket tighter among his fingers, and stepped into the train-cart.

He found the Marimo at his usual spot near the door. The guy had his arms crossed, one of them hooked around the straps of his longish, black bag next to him. The old man wearing a hat sitting on his other side regarded the green haired man occupying a plus seat with his luggage crossly, his bushy eyebrows wrinkled together. His gaze carried a sense of strict reprehension – Sanji could almost hear the disapproving thought, 'kids these days!'

To the blond's surprise, the green haired man lifted his gaze instantly at him as he stepped in front of him, and pulled his bag onto his lap.

"Aaaah," he sighed, melting into the seat offered to him.

"No need to thank me."

Sanji raised an eyebrow. The earphones had disappeared from the other man's ears in the meantime. That seemed to be a sign of interest, despite the guy still looking sternly forward.

"Could it be, you reserved it for me? What a kind, caring mother hen instinct you have," the blond teased.

"'s not like that," the other replied, pulling his cap onto his face, "you just look even paler than yesterday. I was worried you'd fall onto me. I don't feel like getting stabbed and poked all over the place by a skeleton like you."

"Oh shut up," the cook waved just as the train began moving. "I went to bed late and couldn't get enough sleep."

"Got laid?"

"I wish," the blond sighed. "Doesn't matter. I overslept. Didn't even have time for my morning coffee."

Indeed, Zoro thought. The day before, aside from the curt beard on his chin, the guy's cheeks looked as smooth as a baby's bottom. Now there was golden brown and reddish blond stubble covering both sides of his face, painting a faint shadow of a moustache above his mouth.

The green-hair's gaze fixated at the bottle peeking out of the other's coat pocket.

"Is that... coffee?"

"Hm? Yeah, it is."

"If you exercised more, you wouldn't need stuff like that."

"If you used your head more, mold wouldn't grow on your hair."

"... Can I have some?"

"Coffee? Here. It's yesterday's, though."

"'s fine."

Zoro took a generous gulp of the lukewarm beverage. The cook had probably still had time to warm it up before leaving home.

"Why's it green, anyway?"

The swordsman almost spat the liquid back into the bottle as he felt fingers in his hair. One of them slid beneath the rim of the baseball cap, while the others examined the cropped bits behind his ear. A shivering trail of goosebumps ran along his arms.

"Leave my hair alone," Zoro growled and pulled away, out of the blond's reach.

"Ohho," Sanji grinned, "sensitive parts?"

"Bullshit. Your fingers are just cold as fuck," the green haired man rubbed at his nape. Even if he was telling the truth, halfway anyways, he could already feel the heat spreading over his ears.

"Alright," said the blond, then fished out one half of the abandoned pair of earphones that had slipped beneath the other man's sweater collar.

"Hey–!"

"If you drink from my coffee, I have the right to half of the music."

"Where's your own damn music?!"

"I tore my earphones while getting dressed this morning. Shut up and drink my coffee. But if you don't leave some for me, I'm gonna kick you onto the rails."

"Dammit," Zoro grumbled and adjusted his cap.

Comfortable silence descended onto them both. Old, raspy rock music played through the speakers – Led Zeppelin, maybe. Not really Sanji's kind of music, but it helped him come to his senses. As he thought about it, it seemed less and less surprising for the green asshole to listen to stuff like this. It somehow fit him.

Sanji peeked at the green-head's face. The guy's jaw stirred softly during his next gulp of coffee.

He has an aura as if someone miscalculated his date of birth by many-many years, and he was only born into this time in history by mistake.

His looks were one thing. His face was aesthetically oblong, with that robust-looking forehead that had flashed forth from underneath his cap a minute ago for the blond to see, which looked as if it had been carved out of a single slab. Sanji's palm would probably fit onto it easily. The hard edge of his jaw gave his face a certain stoic stubbornness, and the thin scar along his left eye almost seemed to glow on his tanned skin. All in all, one could call him more strong-featured than handsome...

"Oi!"

The blond blinked a few times, then shook his head. He had been so deep in thought that he didn't notice how the other man had turned towards him, hitting the bottom of the coffee-bottle against his arm.

"What the hell is it?!"

"If you wanna say something, shoot. But stop staring at me like that, it's creepy."

"Wha?!" Sanji grabbed the bottle and took a swing. Was I staring? No, I wasn't. No way. "Like you're one to call me creepy with that fucking yakuza scar on your face! Where did you get that, anyway?"

"Not from the yakuza."

"Well, thanks a lot, that was really reassuring."

"Shut up. I teach kids."

"And they tried to kill your or something? Not that I'd blame them..."

"Just shut up already! I'm a kendo teacher. I've been practicing kendo for years, ever since I was a kid. And I got this," he touched the left side of his face, "from the last person I have to beat."

There was silence for a moment, before Zoro spoke up again.

"Your turn."

"My what?"

"I've told you my story. Now it's your turn," the swordsman repeated with a deadpan expression. "Where do you poison the people unlucky enough to turn up at your place?"

Sanji felt like he had just been punched in the face. That idiotic green bastard could get under his skin so fucking much, making him feel a mixture of irritation and excitement he had rarely felt before. Sanji opened his mouth with the determined intention to yell the fucker's head off, but that little smug grin on the asshole's face told him that the mossy-headed brickface just wanted to see how riled-up he could get him.

Oh no, you hairy asshole. You're not getting your fill today.

"At the Baratie," the cook started, squeezing the words out of his mouth with forced calm instead. "But it doesn't matte–"

"Huh, Baratie? I have a fr–"

"Shut the fuck up! Didn't anyone teach you not to interrupt people while they speak?!" Sanji ended up shouting, after all, and pulled the baseball cap into the man's face by its brim.

"But–"

"–as I was fucking saying, it doesn't matter, because I'll have my own goddamn restaurant, and–"

Zoro remained silent. He learned the hard way that there was no stopping the blond while he was talking about his hopes and dreams, and something he called the All Blue. The swordsman wanted to ask about that last bit, but the train came to a halt right then, and the cook suddenly realized that it was his stop. Sanji rushed past some passengers, and waved his hand with a dorky smile as soon as he got off.

"What an idiot," the swordsman thought as the machinery started moving again. He looked at his hand that was still repaying the gesture, before he stuck it back into his pocket. "I don't even know his name yet."

 

~oOo~

"Well, Chopper, what do you think?"

The kid's glance kept wandering between the proud car mechanic and the minibus. Puzzled, he scratched his unruly brown hair, pondering what to say. He tried to avoid getting into a decisive situation such as this one, for he was always utterly terrified that he would shatter someone's enthusiasm with his answer.

"Well, um... Maybe we should wait and see what Luffy thinks about it."

The tanned young man rubbed along his chin, smearing a generous portion of paint along it with his fingers. The pattern that was drying on the side door of the bus still looked pretty stunning, though, if he may have said so himself. Who wouldn't want a cool pirate jolly roger onto the side of their car? Just to pimp it up more, he even swabbed a chequered bandana and some curly locks of hair onto it. Maybe some kind of weapon would give it the final touch. He decided for a slingshot – they wouldn't want to scare any kids, right?

"There. Perfect."

"It's done already? You've assembled the whole thing? Awesooome!"

"Pah," Usopp waved it off, then wiped his hands into the legs of his overalls. "We're lucky if we have it done for summer. No idea how Luffy thinks this is gonna be finished if he can't even save up for decent parts. I could work on this thing a lot faster if he didn't spend all his money on food. Just you watch," he grinned at the boy, "he'll end up asking for a loan from Nami again, and he'll be her slave for a whole year."

"But isn't he doing the shopping together with Ace?"

"What you call 'shopping' is actually a wholesale plundering if these two run loose," the mechanic groaned while lying down onto a skateboard and sliding back under the bus. "You know, knowing them, I'm not really surprised Luffy calls this thing a pirate ship."

Chopper chuckled quietly at that, and happily dangled his feet from the edge of the table. The sixteen-year-old's gaze returned to run along the soon-to-be license plate standing at the wall. Going Merry. What a strange name. Its sound was enough for joy to tickle his very heart.

"Couldn't Franky help?"

"Nah," Usopp answered between two metallic creaks. "The Merry is only a ship in an imaginary sort of way. He wouldn't have any spare parts that would be useful. But he said he would ask some of his old buddies."

"Aaah, the Franky Family?"

"Uhuh. He must have been a pretty good boss, for them to still keep his name after all this time... How do you know about them, though?"

"Kaya told me how she saw some mean-looking guys talk to the wife of a man who was brought in from a car accident. She wanted to call the police at first, because she thought maybe the other driver from the crash meant trouble, but then it turned out that they were just the car-carriers. On the sides of their truck, there was a huge blue star and 'SUUUPER FAST CAR MAINTENANCE!' written under it with wine red."

Laughter seeped forth from under the minibus, followed almost immediately by a steely creak, then a hissing sound and a stifled yelp and... bubbling? Usopp rolled out from under the vehicle, wiping dark liquid off his face.

"Damn these old parts!"

"Maybe Kaya..." Chopper mumbled, thinking.

"Well, we may have to involve her, too, if our project goes on like this. I'd hate to use your girlfriend, though," he smirked.

Chopper blushed in that very instant. His ears burned in a color similar to the Franky Family's slogan.

"S-she's not my girlfriend!" He squawked, his voice at least three octaves higher than usual.

Heeled footsteps clacked in front of the garage then, and a manicured hand lifted the door.

"Hello people! Why the lively mood?"

"Nami!" Usopp cheered and spread his arms.

"Only after you've scrubbed yourself clean!" The redhead declared, and poking about the only clean spot on her boyfriend's head, she pushed him back onto the skateboard. "Chopper! Look who I've brought!"

A fair head of hair peeked out from beneath the door's gap.

"Hi everyo– "

"SHE'S NOT MY GIRLFRIEND!"

There was a moment of silence, and all eyes were on him. The future doctor flailed his arms towards Kaya, while his face gradually became a deep pink. Suddenly, he skidded down from the table and started on a nervous dance between the others.

"Kaya...! I mean I'm not– or wait, I was just– but then Usopp! … I mean I– and the minibus and–!"

"It's alright, Chopper," the blonde whispered and stroked his brown hair. "You know they're only picking fun of you. They like to see you panic."

"I just couldn't let it slip, it's so adorable!"

"Shut up, moron!" Chopper was spinning in circles by then. "Your compliments don't make me happy! Asshole!"

All three of them broke out laughing. They couldn't ever get tired of this reaction. The 'how-to-make-Chopper-embarrassed' game almost counted as a team sport in their circle of friends.

"Any news about Robin and Franky?" Nami asked, turning to Usopp.

"Franky said he would call if he's gotten it over with."

"Great. Kaya, would you like to stay a while? It looks like rain outside."

"Well, if I'm not too much of a bother..." She answered, peering out the window. "I think I will have to catch a taxi for my way home. I completely forgot my mobile phone, so I can't call our chauffeur..."

"My parents are picking me up in the evening," Chopper said, "we can take you if you want."

Kaya gulped barely audibly. Hiluluk's and Kureha's driving habits matched their personalities almost perfectly. However, she couldn't say no to Chopper's big brown eyes.

"Thank you, Chopper... I-I'd love that."

The little doctor's face lit up. Kaya swiftly made her way towards the kitchen door, to hide the faint blush blooming on her cheeks.

"W-who would like some brownies?!"

"ME!"

 

~oOo~

It's raining. Okay. So not the terrace, then.

Franky paced around the apartment nervously. Even after the fiftieth round, the newly polished strip-floor smoothed along his feet without a sound. Damn straight it did.

It had already been five years since they had moved together with Robin. Their first, homely little one-room apartment was now the hideout of the infamous D. brothers. They had barely known the gang for three years, but they couldn't go without the pulse-racingly chaotic bunch ever since. Before they had noticed, they had been right in the middle of the colorful group.

But that wasn't the main topic right now.

Franky exhaled while leaning onto the kitchen counter, glaring at a small, red velvet box on top of it. Facing the enemy head-on.

Honestly, he hadn't the faintest why he was so nervous. Robin was gorgeous, smart and viewed the world with a deadly, dark humour. She wasn't always at his heels, and didn't make him account for the tiniest crap. And her tolerance of the metal- and gadget junk was truly remarkable.

Not to mention her skills in bed. Dude, that woman has to have at least eight hands...

Franky slapped himself mentally in the face and forced himself to concentrate at the problem at hand. Next to the sink, candlesticks, flowers and their best cutlery set were already waiting for their moment. In the end, Usopp and the others had talked him out of signing his proposal out on the sky with fireworks. That would have been spectacularly ultra-super, though. Privacy? Who even needed that? They had already liberated themselves of that when they had driven around town naked on a motorcycle. Privacy, his speedo-strainer ass.

He glanced towards the living room. Metallic parts and plans occupied the table and the couch was heavy with piles of thick tomes, picked out from the overpopulated bookshelves. Separate working rooms or not, they had somehow always ended up here. Why the heck had they bought a three-floored house if they always did everything next to each other?

He then looked at the clock on the wall. He couldn't start cleaning now! Robin's shift was almost over, and if he didn't think of something until she got home... If he didn't take his chance today, he would need to wait even more until he brings himself to do it again.

Scratching his head, he stood at the messy table. Then all of a sudden, he noticed something on the edge of one of his blueprints. He whisked the piles of papers aside and in two fingers, raised the elegant porcelain cup up higher. A few drops of that morning's coffee had dried to its bottom, and the trace of Robin's lipstick clung vividly to its brim.

On a whim, the blue haired man picked up the tiny box in the kitchen, then busted out the door and slammed himself into the car. The night weighed onto the city with heavy clouds, and the streetlights dotted the wet road with their yellow glow. Fortunately, there wasn't much traffic, so he got to the front of the museum rather quickly. He grabbed the steering wheel tightly as he flung himself out, then with a last, all-or-nothing heave of breath, he threw the car-door shut behind him. His head was so fuzzy that he only noticed as a far-away, indirect turn of events that the edge of his pants caught in the edge of the door and ripped along his leg as he ran up the stairs.

The familiar security guards and receptionists gave him friendly waves. He dashed right past them. The abused pair of pants freed themselves from around his ankles with a last whoosh, and sprawled along the floor in Franky's trail. The lady at the reception desk picked it up with unwavering calm, neatly folded it and stored it away behind the desk. Stranger things had found their way there before.

Franky headed straight to the museum's library section. Up the stairs, then the second door on the left.

Robin was putting the last of the books back onto the shelves. She was about to lift the third one into her arms from the book trolley when a shadow was cast onto her from above her shoulders. Robin looked at the man towering over her with interest. Drops of rain were dripping from his hair and the sleeves of his shirt to his feet. And he was wearing a slip, to top it off.

"I hope the dam didn't break and killed half of the city. That would be so terrible."

A wide grin spread across Franky's face.

"Nico Robin," he said as he picked the black haired woman up with one arm and seated her onto his other one, holding the velvet casket in his left palm. "Would you like to go on another ride with me?"

The archeologist blinked. The excited whispers of the cleaning people could be heard from behind them. She picked the ring up with two delicate fingers and pulled it onto her ring finger.

"Of course," she answered. "Anytime."

"SUUUUUUUUUUPER!"

Robin took Franky's face into both her palms and leaned onto his lips. The folks from the cleaning staff showered them in loud applause and congratulations.

 

~oOo~

A few days later, in a different part of town...

"Gruuuh... Sanjiii, can we go home now?"

Sanji looked up from the paperwork covering the entirety of this desk.

"Hm?" He hummed dazedly. "Um... sure. Why are you even still here? I've told you to go home a long time ago. The wedding is almost over, anyway."

"I know," Luffy said, chewing on a piece of brittle. "I was there, remember?"

"What? Oh yeah, yeah... Sorry, Luffy," Sanji murmured and reached for the cup at the edge of the table. Suddenly, a hand stopped him from picking it up.

"That's enough, Sanji," the raven haired boy announced, and encircled the cook's wrist tighter with his fingers. "You need sleep, you jumped in for three cooks tonight. Leave the paperwork for tomorrow. Not even Zeff pushes so much load on anyone. And besides, your coffee's gone cold for at least two and a half hours already."

Sanji blinked a few times to try ease the smarting feeling in his eyes. Bristles crackled on his face as he rubbed over it with his palm – he didn't have time to shave properly again.

"Luffy, I–"

"The guys are going to clean most of tomorrow, anyway. We'll take care of the kitchen and the deliveries. Take a day off."

"What? Don't–"

"Sanji, if you don't listen to me, I'll hold a mirror in front of you so you can see how you look!"

That almost felt like a punch to the gut to the blond. If anything, he hadn't been threatened with a mirror before. Especially not by a person who, in a way, had never bothered about others' looks. The crazier the better, but...

Sanji recognized the boy's expression. He sighed big.

"Captain's orders?"

"Excatly! Shishishi!"

Sanji organized the sheets of paper into a pile, then settled it onto the end of the table. He took his coat from the rack, then stepped out of the office, with the yawning young helper in tow.

The cook lit up on a smoke behind the exit while Luffy loosened the chains around the wheels of his motorbike.

"Are you gonna be okay?"

"Of course," the boy nodded. "You know I don't live far, no worries. And anyway, sweets keep you awake!"

"True. Bye, then!" The blond waved, then turning around the corner, he started to walk towards the train station.

The lights of dawn were already flickering at the bottom of the sky. A cold wind blew past Sanji, and he had to pull his coat tighter together on himself. It seemed winter would come early that year.

"–aaaAAANJIII!"

"Hm? What is it, Luffy?" He asked the boy, who he noticed was now standing next to him on the pavement with his bike.

"I've just noticed! Look, look!"

Sanji peered at the mobile phone pushed against his nose. On the display, he saw a picture of Franky pressing a kiss to Robin's cheek, as she held her hand towards the camera. The black-purple ring was sparkling on her finger.

"That halfwit. So he outran me, after all."

"Huh? You're not happy for them, Sanji?"

"Of course I am. I don't know of any other couple who go together better than them. But for such a beautiful flower to be picked from my garden..."

"Garden?" The black haired youth tilted his head to the side. "But you don't even have a garden! Only some weird-tasting plants in your windo– OW!"

"Those are SPICES, you shit-for-brains! If you chew on them one more time, I'm going to marinate your meat with them. And by your meat I mean your motherfucking flesh, you little fucker!"

Luffy rubbed over the brand new bump on his head.

"They asked if there's a vacant night sometime in the restaurant. You know, for the engagement party."

The blond ran over the days in the calendar in his mind as he tapped the ash from the end of his cigarette.

"I'll see what I can do."

"Good. Then see you the day after tomorrow!"

"Good night," Sanji waved after the retreating motorbike.

 

~oOo~

That was the best part in a night shift – the first, empty train lines of the morning. The sleepy crowd only filled the train slowly as it gradually made its way into the center of the city. The grips rocked freely on the handrails.

Sanji leaned back on the seat. It was eerie, creepy even, but still pleasant.

He took Luffy's advice. He tried to close everything that had to do with the Baratie out of his head.

But what would be left after that?

Robin and Franky would definitely be happy together. When were they planning to hold the wedding, he wondered. And the wedding gift? What to give a couple that had been living together for five years and already had everything?

Some very erotic ideas flashed through the cook's mind. He shook his head. It would have been perfect for Robin-chwan, but he would have rather choked himself than play into the hand of that blue haired punk. If he could not see Robin in those sexy outfits, then that pervert would absolutely not even get the chance.

Hmm... Maybe that Marimo would have some ideas.

Sanji opened his eyes. The thought of the guy had slipped into his mind without him even noticing. Almost a week went by without him having seen that muscle-brained brute. At times, the cook himself hadn't arrived at the right time on board of the usual train, and at others, the other man had been missing from his regular spot. It felt strange. Irritating.

The cook relaxed against the backrest again, and folded his arms on top of his chest. The world suddenly seemed very wide, enormous and cold.

**TBC**


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sanji is reckless and Zoro destroys a Nokia 3310

**Chapter 7**

 

The kitchen was clean. The flat was all but sparkling and the laundry was also done, all of that before noon. Sanji looked around with his hands on his hips. Do you know the feeling when you try to relax with all your might, but the moment you let go, an unpleasant feeling drags you into motion again? Well, Sanji sure as hell did.

The same routine that was begging him to stay in a little longer on each workday had already chased him out from under the covers early in the morning, and hadn't even left him a minute of stopping since. Running around putting things away, cleaning up, taking out the trash, doing the dishes that had piled up during the last couple of days... Holy shit, the Baratie and tending for Zeff had taken more out of him that he had anticipated.

To top it all off, his refrigerator stood so empty it all but echoed, excluding a couple of leftover eggs from breakfast. He tried to remember when he had witnessed something the like the last time. And then came the painful realization – the same view had greeted him when he had checked inside the fridge of the D brothers. True enough, theirs was in a constant state of emptiness all year round.

Sanji took his coat off the rack and stepped out over the threshold of his apartment door. The old fart lived on the floor above him. Allegedly because he didn't want any half-witted idiots – Sanji – wreck havoc above his head. The honest truth be told, though, the old man couldn't allow something as trivial as old age or a prosthetic leg to wound his pride. And with no thanks to that, it had taken Patty at least half an hour to carry his fat ass up the stairs after he had successfully sprained his one good leg in his memorable rampage...

Having shoved the shopping bags under his arm with a sigh, the cook ran over the grocery list that was at least twice as long as usual. That shitty old geezer made him work his ass off for a tiny little favour. At least Robin-chwan and Franky were free to pick any day of the next couple of months this way, and that was worth any physical fatigue.

Aside from that, he himself was starving, too. Just thinking of the generously topped, steaming hot pizzas at  _Supernova's_  made his mouth water... And if he was lucky, maybe Bonney-chan would be in to take his order, too~

Aaah, Bonney-chan... She was the sweetest, cutest, most perfect being the world of restaurants had ever seen. That sweet voice, beaming smile... And  _those legs..._

Sanji grinned as he boarded the suburban train, submerged in his own little fantasy world devoid of the last specks of reality. Thus he bumped straight into the first person in front of him, then bounded back with the momentum towards the still open doors. But before he could have fallen out through them, a hand grabbed the front of his coat and held him in place until they slammed shut behind him.

"Hello, Curly."

"Ma-Marimo?" Sanji blinked. "What the spiralling horsecock are you doing here? And what was with you last week?"

"Well, well," the swordsman smirked. "Did you miss me, blondie?"

Sanji looked around. Near and far no free handrail was to be seen; he had no other choice but to stand in the narrow spot between the green haired guy and the door. He didn't recall ever suffering from claustrophobia, and yet this closeness irked him to no end. He would have loved to just rearrange the bastard's smug face with a few well-aimed kicks –  _anything_  to gain a bit more space. Maybe then his breathing would have calmed down...

The train began to slow, and the mass of passengers bustled to the exit as one.

"The shit do you think you're doing?" Sanji hissed at the other when the throng pushed both of them into the corner beside the door, pressing them against each other one again.

"Fuck you. You think I enjoy this?!"

Sanji turned his face to the side, out of the other man's neck. Deep wrinkles appeared on the Marimo's broad forehead, his glare all but burning a hole into the metal wall next to the cook's head. Nope, he definitely did  _not_  enjoy it.

"There! Come on!"

The blond let himself be led through the thinning crowd. The green-hair finally came to a halt between the rows of seats and pointed at an empty spot on the right.

"Sit."

"Who asked you to babysit me? Fuck off, Marimo."

"Sit down. You look a bit better today than a pile of warthog manure. With a little rest, you could even pass the horse dung level. That's the most I'd put past you right now."

"Wow, who would have thought you'd be able to speak in such complex sentences. Did it make your head hurt?"

"Would you just sit your ass down?!"

"No."

"Why?"

"None of your fucking business, shithead."

Zoro stroked along his chin.  _Stubborn asshole._  On a whim, he poked his index finger into the blond's left side. The cook writhed and shuddered from it, releasing the handrail as he did.  _Oh, fortunate reaction!_ The green-head poked him a few more times until Sanji turned to him, pressing his arms to his side in defence:

"Hey!"

A prod to his other side and the blond trembled again, and as the train took a sharp turn, he plopped right down into the empty seat. The green haired man broke out laughing. Sanji felt himself sink as his blood rushed up to his face, blushing from head to toe. That bastard. He could kick his ass while being twice this tired; wait until they get somewhere with less people...

Zoro finally managed regain his self-control and grinned down on the blond.

"You finally did si–" Terrible shrieking cut his sentence in half. The passengers glanced around anxiously. Sanji sat upright: that couldn't have come from the train. It could be likened to some sort of melody. Almost like...

The Marimo reached into his pocked to fish his mobile phone out. The cook couldn't believe his eyes. A Nokia 3310, in 2013! Belonging to a twenty-something bloke, to boot!

But that wasn't all there was to it. It was the most beaten-down, tortured and mutilated phone Sanji had ever seen in his life. How had he been able to finish off the world's most durable mobile like this?! Legend had it you could punch a hole in solid concrete with it – and that one emitted submissive death-rattles in his palm.

"Hello?"

Sanji watched the guy's gaze fall onto the windows. His eyes searched the distance as he spoke, and returned only slowly from there as he hung up.

"Who was that? Is something wrong?" The cook ask after the Marimo let the phone slide back into his pocket.

"What? Oh, no, nothing. It was Koshiro-sensei. He asked about the dojo."

"Dojo?"

"I teach kids, remember? Koshiro-sensei is the master of the dojo."

"Oh, right," the blond nodded, leaning back. "So?"

"There's a flu outbreak. I sent all of the little good-for-nothings home before they could have infected each other. We're opening next week. Maybe."

"Ah, I see."

Comfortable silence descended on them. Truth be told, Sanji hated quiet, in general. He always felt as if breaching uncertain ground when things fell silent, so he had the urge to fill it with something, even if it was only superficial chatter. But this, this was nice. Almost peaceful.

While staring blankly at the passengers, a sudden idea crossed his mind.

"Then you have nothing planned for today, right?"

"Huh? Uh, no." Zoro scratched his nape. "Actually, I was heading out to eat..."

"That can wait. Come with me," Sanji said, grabbing him by the wrist and pulling him out the doors of the train.

"Wha– Hey! Oh shit...!" Zoro groaned, looking at the back of the retreating metro. "You crashed my lunch time! You owe me one, Dartbrow!"

"I see you don't realize who you're talking to," Sanji smirked, igniting the cigarette hanging from his mouth. "But first thing's first. Come on, Marimo."

Sanji began walking out of the station, up a flight of stairs from the platform. He had been talking for a good five minutes already when he noticed that Zoro wasn't following.

"Damn bastard, must have caught the next train," he mumbled, turning back to take the steps down. If that idiot had left, he wouldn't have had any reason to stay.

He felt the rapidly intensifying rage ripple upwards his chest, tightening his throat. He was about to kick the vending machine at the bottom of the staircase into shambles when he noticed something from the corner of his eye. Something was moving between the rails. Something green.

_No way._

"Idiot! What the fuck are you doing down there?!"

"Huh? I'm looking for the exit, of course! Mind telling me how the hell you got up there?"

"Are you a compl– No, we don't have time for that now, get out of there before the next train comes!"

Zoro didn't really grasp the panic on the blond's face, but he accepted the hand extended towards him. Even if it would have been easier to climb up alone... He was barely out of the rail pit and on the platform when rumbling was audible in the distance, and a faint gust of air brushed past their cheeks. In just a few moments, there the train was, its breaks screeching next to them.

"What the hell were you doing there?" The blond grumbled, shoving him towards the exit.

"Whaddya mean 'what'? I was looking for  _you._  I thought you got lost or something. And let go of my arm already!"

"Fat chance. I don't feel like looking for a lost child again."

"Who the hell are you calling lost child?! And where are we going, anyway?"

"You'll see," Sanji muttered.

A few minutes later, they were well in the city centre. The blond was still unwilling to let go of Zoro's coat sleeve, and the green haired man noticed how more and more pedestrians whispered amongst themselves and pointed fingers at them as they walked by. A group of middle school girls rapidfired in their general direction with their camera-endowed phones.

_Jesus._

The cook, as though only having waited for this very moment, twirled around and bowed to them, flashing his brightest, most toothpaste commercially smile. The girls screamed and hid behind each other.

_Ugh. Gross._

"What was that for?"

"What do you mean?"

"From before, with the girls. What are you, some kind of charmeur?" Zoro grumbled.

"That, too," came the offhanded reply. "By the way, we're here."

Zoro raised his eyes onto the front of the building before them.

" _Den Den Mushi Phone Co. Outlet and Repair._  What are we doing here?"

"Getting a new phone, for you."

"I don't need a new phone."

"I'd say  _they_  don't need the likes of  _you_ ," Sanji pointed out. "I'd like to give your phone a proper burial. I'm thinking of adding a national flag to the grave, for the brave little soldier."

"... I'm going to get you a referral to a doctor friend of mine. The weather front must have messed with your head. Even your eyebrows are dizzy."

Zoro didn't remember the last time he got a kick to his ass that hard. Its force let him fly through the door, straight under the information desk. The woman behind said desk was gasping for breath, but calmed instantly when she saw the cook waltz in right after.

"Ah, Mr. Black! So glad to see you here again! How may I help you?"

"Thank you, Rose. We would like a new device. For  _this one,_ " the blond pointed down onto the new 'pattern' on the linoleum floor. Zoro sent his fiercest death glare his way, twitching and trying to climb up. Sanji ignored it all but completely, sticking his fingers back into his pocket to play with his lighter.

"Come on, Marimo, let's not keep the dear ladies waiting." Just like that, he made his way to the back of the store.

Zoro followed, however reluctant. The blonde asshat stepped around the furniture with practiced ease, not even paying attention, among the friendly greetings of the employees. Obviously, it wasn't his first time here. What a trend whore.

"So, what can we do for you today, Mr. Black?" The Smiling Staff Member No. X+1 asked as they were seated.

"Kelly, how many times have I asked you to just call me Sanji? Last names are so cold coming from a beautiful thing like you."

The corner of the woman's mouth gave a twitch.

"As you wish, Sanji."

Zoro was watching the passers-by through the window. To be frank, he hadn't the faintest why he hadn't split yet. But he knew for damn sure that the moment they leave here, this pansy slime-ball would pay dearly for the ache in his hind regions.

Sanji, huh... Somehow that name rang a bell...

" _... guy I've told you about, remember? He made all this. I can't wait until you two get to know each other! I think you two'd get along!"_

"SANJI?!" The blond felt as if steel wires would have been thrust through his shoulders. He almost fell back with his chair. The Marimo's face was only inches away from his own. " _You're_  Sanji!"

"... Yeees?"

"I'm Zoro!"

Sanji wrinkled his forehead. Was that supposed to mean something, or...?

"Yeah, so? Whatever, Marimo." And with that, he pushed the green-hair back to his seat with his palm pressed into his face.

Zoro swatted his hand away, but Sanji was already, once more, immersed into flirting with all his concentration. Could this guy really have been the one Luffy had been talking about? No doubt, with his long fingers, he could have been a pianist, even, but on closer inspection, he noted the many small, thin scars covering them – memories of cuts, healed long since. Adding to that, if Luffy told him the truth, the Baratie was in the state of utter chaos because of the many absences. It fit all too perfectly that the blond bastard looked as run-down as the new girl at the brothel every time he saw him...

"Oi, Marimo.  _Hellooo?_ " The cook looked at him questioningly. Zoro realized he must have been spoken to for a good while.

"Yeah?"

"Your new phone. Be thankful, asshole."

Zoro glanced down, then after a moment of hesitation, he pushed the cook's hand with the box in it aside.

"Get this touch screen bullcrap away from me. I'm not a priss like you, shit-cook."

"How dare you speak like this in the presence of a lady, you useless swordsman?" Sanji hissed. "There's more manners to a rotten egg than your whole fucking existence, you genetic trash!"

"Shut it, princess!"

"You–!"

"Gentlemen, gentlemen! Please." The woman at the cash desk coughed discretely and adjusted the uniform-scarf around her neck.

"Oh, dear Kelly, forgi–"

"Some react this way to touch screen devices, yes. Though not really at your age... But fortunately, we keep a few older models for such cases." The shop assistant was now directly speaking to Zoro, and tried her hardest to keep the eye-contact. As careful as she was with masking it, the swordsman saw the tiny signs – the blond was driving her crazy, and she just wanted to get over with the issue quickly.

"I don't need any new model," he declared, crossing his arms on his chest. "Give me a new one from the same model I have now so Curlyque is satisfied, and we're done."

"I'm sorry to say we don't have that on sale, but may I show you any other models you might be inte–"

"Oh Kelly, please, allow me to choose. This neanderthal couldn't even tell the difference between a lawn-mower and an electric razor," Sanji pleaded with a smile of hundred gigawatts.

The assistant gave him a desperate glance, but she didn't find Zoro in a helpful mood. An idea started to form in his head.

"Where's the bathroom?"

"To the left and at the end of the corridor."

Zoro nodded. The room he happened upon after a short while of wandering around was full of mops and cleaning supplies. No sign of any bathroom. But no matter. On the contrary, it fit his purposes much better than a public bathroom he could be heard in or opened in on.

He turned the key in the lock while pressing the 'down' button on his mobile, until the sought-for name appeared on the display. He raised the receiver to his ear and prayed that Luffy's lying abilities have improved through the years.

 

~oOo~

"So, is the little Marimo happy now?"

The green haired man gave no answer. He merely kept pressing the buttons on his new mobile phone.

"It's small."

"Your eyesight is remarkable." The cook wrapped his palm around the flame of his lighter.

"And flat. It's like a damn chocolate bar."

Sanji inhaled the smoke in deep. Goodness, it had been three hours already since he had last lit up.

"It's a Walkman Mobile, you ungrateful moss-for-brains. You can load a ton of music onto it – look, you even got free earphones with it."

Zoro hummed in approval and rummaged through the contents of the box.

"I swear, I hate this part the most."

The green-hair raised and eyebrow and glanced over at the blond. His stomach tightened into a cramping ball in a single moment: Sanji was fiddling with his old phone. If he saw Luffy's number in it, his whole plan would be busted!

"Oi, don't mess around with other people's stuff, Curly," he said as he grabbed the Nokia that had seen better days and shoved it into his back pocket.

"I just thought I'd help you copy over the contacts," the cook muttered. The nicotine was still inflicting its beneficial influence on his nervous system, otherwise he would have kicked the mossbrain's head off long ago.

"No need. I have a notebook."

"A  _notebook,_ " Sanji repeated, slowly, letting it sit. "What are you, some kind of old man?"

Zoro didn't answer, just proceeded with examining his new phone. It wasn't the first time he had been called that, and if he was honest to himself, he understood the reason. The behaviours, fads and popular topics of his age group were more often than not completely alien to him. He didn't see why he should have told the cook, but he had already been the fourth owner of his ex-mobile. Koshiro had insisted on him to take it when he had arrived back home a few weeks before. His sensei hadn't been fond of not being able to reach him while he had been abroad for training – not at all during the day, and only with a generous amount of luck through the night, before he had collapsed due to exhaustion and had gone right to sleep. In short, that phone had practically been the first he had ever used, honestly.

However, he began to like this new one more and more.

"Here." Zoro took the scrap of paper that was pushed under his nose. "My number."

"And why would I need your number?" The swordsman wondered.

Sanji grumbled and extinguished his cigarette by stepping on its remains on the ground.

"How the hell else will you find someone to haul your ass the next time you get lost? Someone to identify your corpse when your brain gives up on lying to itself and turns back into sea algae? Hmm?"

"Stop your yapping before somebody calls an ambulance. The local idiot, everybody."

"Bastard!"

"Skirt-sniffing monster!"

"Muscle-head!"

"Ero-cook!"

Zoro felt a vein throbbing threateningly on his forehead. He turned on his heel and sprinted away into the opposite direction, not even attempting to confirm whether the blond was following him. He turned around two corners, ran through under an archway and past a pet shop, before finally stopping. That asshole had pissed him off to the extent of him not having a clue what to do with the guy. He couldn't have just started a brawl on the streets in  _broad daylight._  He knew what he was like while fighting – and he didn't exactly feel like going to jail for destroying public property.

He heaved a big sigh, looking down at the mobile phone's box in his hand. The whole thing seemed like the Gordian Knot of cables and wires, not to mention the fact that he wasn't even sure if he would ever make use of it all to upload something onto the phone itself. Not only had he never known anything about all that technical bullshit in his life, nor did he have a computer, for now. Luffy and Ace could have only been of help with blowing stuff up. Chopper was miles away and he didn't want to disturb the kid with this stuff, either; his work at the hospital was more than enough for him right now. And Nami he only wanted to see as frequently as the back of his head.

Zoro let out an irritated huff and fished his old phone from his pocket. He barely unlocked it when his address list popped up on the screen, with Lucci at its very end. Just one more push of the button and the cook would have arrived at Luffy's name. The swordsman contemplated a quick prayer of thanks, but he discarded the thought quickly – he didn't have anyone to pray to, anyway. He searched his pocket for the crumpled piece of paper and unfolded it.

"Cook?"

"Where the hell are you?" The voice on the other end of the line grumbled.

Zoro looked around. "No idea."

"How can you have no idea? You made a run for it barely ten minutes ago, how far could you have gotten?!"

"So far that I don't recognize anything?" The green haired man rolled his eyes. "I've just got back from being abroad for two years. The streets must have been rearranged while I was gone, or something." The swordsman heard a sharp sound then, from the other end – skin slapping sharply against skin. "What was that?"

"Never mind. What can you see around you?"

Zoro looked left and right.

"Mouldy brown walls. A pet shop –  _Gaimon's Little Paradise_ , it's called. I kind of remember seeing a playground somewhere on the left." He already ran out of things he could have mentioned, but there was still no reply coming from the receiver. Heavy silence. "Cook?"

"Say... Is there a military shop nearby with the sign saying  _Little Garden?"_

"Oh, yeah," Zoro noted, squinting, "on the other end of the street."

"Start walking towards that."

The green-hair shrugged and headed in the direction he was instructed. Barely did he arrive at the corner of the building, his neck suffered a stinging clap coming from the left.

"Ow! What the fuck?!"

"This is what little brats get for wandering off."

Baffled, Zoro stared at the scowling blond reason for the smarting pain on his nape. How had the cook gotten here so fast? Why is there a red hand-imprint on his forehead? And how the hell had he not noticed his presence earlier?

He peered over the curly-brow's shoulder. The  _Den Den Mushi_  store was there, barely a few feet away. The gigantic snail logo was hard to miss.

"Don't tell me..."

"Yep. You ran around the building," Sanji sighed, rubbing his brow with his palm that was just as red as the fading mark beneath it. The swordsman began to realize how that could have gotten there...

For a while after that, they walked in silence beside each other. Or, more precisely, Zoro did, while having to listen to the blond silently and incoherently mumble on and on to himself as they went.

"Oi, cook. What the hell is it?"

"Nothing. I just lost my shopping list. Must have fallen out down at the subway."

The swordsman's stomach rumbled in discomfort. The breakfast he had skipped and the tomfoolery with the mobile phone hasn't done any good neither for his digesting system, nor his mood.

"Cook, let's stop for a while. I think I saw a McDonald's some streets away."

The green haired man had never seen anyone grow deathly pale quite so fast. Sanji gave him a look as though he had just confessed that he was a time-travelling serial killer, who had just murdered his parents and had declared that therefore the blond would dissolve into atoms and vanish in thin air, as if he had never been born.

"Don't you  _dare_  say that again in my presence!" The cook's face went from white to green as he sneered the words.

"What? You mean McDo–"

"SHUT UP!" The blond yelled. The whole street seemed to freeze in place, the people around looking at them uncertain. "If you have to stuff yourself with junk food, do it right!" The sleeve of his coat fell victim to the blond's grip again as the idiot all but broke out in a dash.

"So that means you're paying?" Zoro grinned. "You still owe me lunch!"

"Fine, Marimo," hissed the blond, still dragging him along. Luckily, Bonney's pizzeria wasn't too far away, so he might have just as well...

"And while we're at it, you could explain how to put music onto this thing."

"What do you mean 'how'?" Sanji stopped at the brink of the stairs leading underground. "Just like you did onto your music player. There's no difference, at all."

"Oh, that was Mar– uh, a friend of mine who did that." Shit, he couldn't say names. Who knows who the blond would recognize? If he knew Luffy, he most probably was acquainted with Ace, and that way, he would definitely know about the ominous Marco. Those two had practically been joined by the hip ever since they had met at the fire station. In the worst possible meaning, if the latest news were to be believed.

"Then you get it. That's basically it."

Zoro hummed to that, staring at the end of the cable. And Sanji was more and more agitated by the fact that they were standing around on top of a shitty stair like two fucking diarrhoeic pigeons, and the Marimo was just looking at that accursed cable-end as if he would expect it to break out in a song, starting on the Ode to Joy. A frightening thought occurred to him.

"You... do know what a computer is, don't you, Marimo?"

"Fuck you, cook," Zoro growled. How wouldn't he know what a damn computer is?! The only thing was that he had traded it in a few years ago, having been short on money. He didn't especially mind. Sandai Kitetsu was resting peacefully at home thanks to that. "I just don't have one, not right now. But I'll work it out."

Sanji sank into thought for a moment, his fingertips drumming on his lips.

"And how about," the said, "I cook you something for lunch so delicious that you'll kiss the ground I walk on for the rest of your pitiful life, and," he raised a finger to keep the brute from interrupting, "I'll even help you transfer as much music onto your phone as you want. In return, you only have to lend me a hand with shopping. Deal?"

The swordsman obliged without much contemplation. The thought of food was just too tempting at that time of the day, and he didn't really have anything against the blond's company. Well okay, he had to admit, when he didn't get a spontaneous idiocy-attack and wasn't in the midst of running after another skirt, the shitty cook proved to be nice to hang out with, sort of. Sanji was witty, more intelligent than smart and he loved to ask questions. Zoro could barely keep dodging, not to mention anything that would reveal him.

That proved to be harder of a task as time went by, since apparently, the blond was friends with basically everyone the green-hair knew, too. He spoke of Franky as if they had been childhood friends despite only having known him for two years, whereas he hadn't been the one hanging out for years in the Franky Brothers' garage, with Usopp and Luffy after school. Then again, Zoro realized he had no clue who Vivi or Kohza was, he had never met Brook, and didn't even know that Chopper had gained his doctorate in the meantime. Guilt crept into his chest. Chopper was like a little brother to him, and he hadn't even called him up after arriving home...

The conversation held out on the way up to Sanji's apartment, the cook excitedly talking about the upcoming marriage and the surprise cake he was planning the bride- and groom-to-be. The swordsman tried to pay attention, but he got more and more distracted; the blond's posture gradually relaxed while he was cooking, his motions nimble and fluid. It looked as if water was flowing through his limbs whilst soft noises of stirring and delicious smells filled the kitchen's air.

"Oi, Marimo! Don't sleep in someone else's kitchen, dammit!"

A powerful kick met his shoulder and the green haired man fell from the barstool. He was up again in an instant and in fighting stance when he realized what had happened.

"Why the hell did you kick me, shitty cook?"

"Stop daydreaming, you mold-brained fucker!" The blond spun on his heels, and if Zoro's reflexes had been a little less sharper than a Gillette blade, he definitely would have ended up with a really painful, masterfully clean fracture in his jaw.

The blond chef was so furious, he didn't even get a chance to explain himself. He really was an attention whore, wasn't he? He hadn't fallen asleep, for fuck's same. He was _meditating_. Sure, it went a little deeper than he had wanted, but watching the cook had an affect on him. Like looking at the ocean, deep and ageless, yet full of life and  _fuck,_ it was radiating from him! Damn this shitty cook in particular!

Zoro blocked another roundhouse-kick, then grabbed the blond's leg. Sanji tried to shrug his hands off, but the bastard was holding on tight.

"Let me go!"

"Calm the fuck down, all ri–" Then, something happened Zoro would have never expected in his dreams. The blond's spine formed an arch as he bent himself back, down until his right hand touched the tiles. Shortly after, he raised his left leg off the ground, sneaked his foot around the swordsman's neck and pulled him forward with force. Zoro landed back-first on the floor with a great thud, with a stupid blond sitting on his chest. The cook was merely watching how the mosshead was trying to figure out what had hit him, grinning.

"Don't be so cocky, Dartbrow. I was just surprised you could fight at all," the swordsman said, trying to shake the dizziness out of his head.

"What a shame I'm the only one in this room who can," smirked the blond.

"I said, don't be so cocky," Zoro retorted, grinning himself, as well. After freeing his arms, he grabbed the cook's shirt and rolled on top of him, pinning his body to the floor this time. The blond was flushed and panting, looking up at him with piercing blue eyes. They looked like a frozen-over hell, burning with blue flames of rage, confusion and shame.

The cook struggled underneath him, but Zoro didn't let him go. Using his upper body strength, he pinned the cook's thin wrist over his head and leaned closer to him. The man's one visible eye widened in horror and panic. The swordsman grinned and bent even closer. His breath tickled the soft skin behind the blond's right ear...

"You'll burn the meat, cook."

Those seemed to be the magical words. The green haired man found himself flailing and falling down to the left, the cook stumbling over him, cursing on his whole way to the oven. Zoro couldn't help but laugh, and went sprawling on the cool surface spreading beneath him.

"Oi, Marimo, get your ass over here."

Zoro raised himself to sit back to the table, and shortly, Sanji set a plate down before him.

"Dig in."

The swordsman eyed the steaming dish suspiciously for a moment, but after the first mouthful, he was lost. The curry was pretty fucking awesome and warm and spicy and all the gospel of the angelic choir; especially after those instant meals he had lived on the past few days. He opened his eyes again, just to met the cook's cheeky smile.

"Pretty good, isn't it?"

Dammit. He was not here to inflate his ego.

"You know, it could've used one more ingredient."

Sanji raised his eyebrow. He hadn't heard that one for a long, long time.

"And what could that possibly be?"

Zoro had wolfed down half of his plate by then, vigorously scooping the rest of the meal inside his mouth, to save everything he could before he answered, just in case.

"Well, maybe you could have added some talent."

Another round of sparring, cursing and kicking followed the comment. It was strangely fun, however – that cook really could kick ass. Or mountains. They were on the same level, with no chance of beating the other, but hell if they didn't try. Neither of them wanted to step back first. God knows how long they would have continued if Zoro's old mobile hadn't started ringing.

The creepy sound of it pulled them back to reality, and after the Marimo finished the call with – as it turned out – the parent of one of his students, they could actually sit down decently, and the blond showed him how to download music to his new phone.

And even though the birdbrain didn't deserve it, Sanji put some curry in boxes and threw them into the wide-eyed swordsman's hands, before slamming the door into his face.

  


 


	8. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is just disgustingly cheese. I loved writing it

**Chapter 8**

 

As the chance meetings had become more and more regular, they had outright begun searching for each other. In the past few days, Zoro had forced himself to stay awake, even, to leap out the door at Sanji's stop and wave to the man upon spotting him.

And now, there he was, making his way to the blondie's house again. Not like he actually wanted to – by god, he was so tired he believed those little kids lived on his life force instead of food. Don't even mention food, he was hungry, too. That being the reason for his visit. Well, sort of.

It had all started barely two weeks before, not long after he had forced Luffy to shut the fuck up and forget his name in the cook's presence; and to tell everyone else to do the same until the engagement party. Not so long after, the damn blond bastard had brought him to a bar. He had been so full of himself, thinking he would show Zoro a place he definitely didn't know... But he did, dammit! Of all places, they had gone to one of Lucci's bars – he had known by just one look. Like all of them, it had been designed in the gangster style of the 20's. Yes, it definitely belonged to him, like half of the city. The swordsman was glad they weren't enemies anymore. Even the police closed their eyes to the actions of his gang, mostly because they were protecting the city from other hostile groups, kept the streets clean and hardly ever killed. Or, more precisely, killed the innocent. Their main business was comprised of casinos, illegal fight clubs, money laundering and blackmail. They were criminals of the smart kind; almost smooth. Doing their thing and simultaneously silencing the watchdogs of justice.

Well, the sane ones, anyway. Not like Captain Smoker – the 'White Renegade', as some of the rookies liked to call him nowadays. The guy was a real old-fashioned, hard-headed bulldog, and from a strange point of view, Zoro could understand why Ace was having such a hard time choosing between him and Marco. Even he could sense the peculiar charisma around the silver haired man.

By the time Zoro had snapped out of his daze, Sanji had already ordered their usual drinks and had gone to the billiard table. That hadn't been a terrible thing in itself. It had only turned ugly when he had followed the blond, and had let himself be provoked into a competition.

He had  _never_  played billiard before. And really, nobody could have blamed him for pushing the cue a little harder. The fucking things hadn't been working properly!

And that was the short story how he had ended up with a broken cue and a torn-up billiard cloth there hits later. Of course, the bartender had been furious and had made him pay for everything. The fuck would have thought it would be so expensive, too! If he had known, he wouldn't have gone within ten meter radius of the place. Zoro had only been glad he had been able to keep the shirt on his back. He had given away all his money for the repairs, and it had all been the smug blond's fault, who had been walking beside him on the street in silence that night. But every growl, ever insult he had made – oh, how badly he had wanted to fight! – had fallen on deaf ears. Why couldn't the shitty bastard have answered? Of all times, had he chosen that one to be a damn pacifist?! He had had no need for this side of the cook right then; he had wanted the hot-blooded, bitching and angry Sanji, dammit!

His stomach had growled loudly. The swordsman remembered snarling in reaction. Yes, he would have had to get used to that. That glorious night had left him penniless. Maybe he could ask Usopp or Robin for a meal once or twice, he had thought then, or buy some instan–

"Oi, Marimo."

Zoro had turned, realizing the cook had stopped behind him. He had been lighting a cigarette and had protected the fire with his hand. It had painted his face in soft orange light for a moment, and for just as long, it had washed the green-hair's anger away. Though, thinking back to that image of the blond now, the swordsman felt more confused than calm.

The cook had inhaled the smoke after that, and had twisted his neck to glance to the left.

"Are you hungry?"

He had opened his mouth to say something incredibly rude as an answer, when he had taken note of the cook's posture. Still facing sideways, his bangs had completely hid his visage. Shoulders tense, feet tapping the ground lightly... Had he been nervous? Or had he finally angered him enough for a good fight? No, that hadn't been it; the swordsman had been able to tell. It had reminded him rather of...

Guilt? Had the cook felt guilty? Since that night, Zoro was still unsure.

"Yeah," he had decided to play honest, at least until he would find out what was going on.

"Then come," the blond had turned his back to him, nodding his head, "I'll make you something to eat."

There hadn't been many exchanged words between them after that. Both men had been silent while walking to Sanji's home, to his kitchen. Zoro had sat down on a barstool next to the kitchen counter, feeling confused as hell. Placing his chin in his palm, he had let his eyes wander along the cook's back again. The silence had been deafening. Even though the swordsman had preferred quiet to pretty much anything else, he had been sure his ears would have burst if the blond hadn't said something soon. Usually, it had been the other who couldn't keep his mouth shut for even a moment. But that time, that role had been passed onto Zoro, itching to say something,  _anything,_  even if only to ask for a drink, just...

"You know," he had finally heard Sanji's slow and hesitant voice. "For a while now, I have been thinking about searching for a sparring partner."

Zoro had nodded, but after realizing that the cook hadn't seen him, he had hummed instead. The stirring sounds coming from the other had gotten louder, and the green haired man had inhaled deeply as delicious scents had filled the air.

"So," the cook had continued, "would you take the job? I would cook for you as payment. You bet your ass I can prepare anything you want," he had added, handing a full plate to the swordsman.

Zoro had eyed the food. Fried rice? He had never really liked that particular dish much, but somehow, the blond's version had looked like it could have melted the Ice King's heart just from its colors and smell... The swordsman had shrugged and had grabbed his fork.

Oh holy  _shi–_  By the name of the great sailors of the seven seas, it had been awesome! He had barely been able to hold back a satisfied hum. He had eaten his cooking before – even if the blond didn't know about all those occasions aside from the day he had forced a new phone on him, thanks to Luffy – but it always felt like tasting it for the first time, for some reason. Noticing Sanji's grinning face, though, he had proceeded to stare down on his plate. His choices had been clear. Either he could have kept asking Luffy to bring him leftovers and hope for them to actually arrive, or... he could have spent his afternoons with an irate cook and eat his fresh home-cooking for a while.

"Well..." He recalled himself saying, wiping his mouth and looking up at the blond. "This isn't half as bad as the instant noodles, Curlicue."

And this is how he had ended up at Sanji's station again. The strange looks of the passengers didn't bother him – the imprint of the cook's shoe had almost completely vanished from his forehead by then.

The blond waved to him from beside a soda vending machine. He grinned around his unlit cigarette when the muscle-head stepped before him.

"Come on, let's go, I wanna smoke already. I've been waiting for half an hour for your sorry ass. Where the hell have you been?"

"Wrong subway," Zoro muttered under his breath. He knew just how amusing the cook found his little... problem with directions.

Sure enough, Sanji snickered when Zoro moved to his side. They began walking in the dim lights of the setting sun. The blond still wore that stupid smirk all over his face. Life rolled in a much better pace for him than it had some weeks ago. The Baratie was in order, Zeff was back at work, even if he would have to use a walking stick for a while, and he was feeling healthier and more energized than ever.

"Just you wait, Marimo," he said, tilting his head to his left. "I'll cook you something that will make you cry tears of joy when you get a taste. I found this recipe back when I was a kitchen boy, not long after I've first heard of All Blue."

"All Blue again?" Zoro asked. He felt like teasing Lord Smugface a little. "So you really believe in magical stuff like that, don't you?"

Sanji stopped in his tracks and gave him a long look. The swordsman was waiting for the outburst that would cleave his head clear off his shoulders, but to his surprise, Sanji just laughed and ruffled his green hair.

"Why wouldn't I?" He asked, still beaming. "I have already met the Grinch himself, after all."

"Oh help me, I'm feeling," the swordsman murmured mockingly, running his fingers through his green hair and hiding his face. He was glad for his tan, because he had no doubts why he felt so hot suddenly. "By the way, I'm gonna be busy the next week, shit-cook. The kids have a tournament, far from the city. So this'll be the last time for a while."

"Oh. Okay."

Sanji's tone came off more light-hearted in contrast to how he felt. Yes, he still had some things to organize for FRobin's engagement party, and he had already told the Marimo he would be off for two weeks soon, but he... had been somehow hoping he would still have some time to waste on the shithead. Even if he was a rude bastard and had a great amount of stupidity stuffed into the dusty space between his ears, he was a good sparring partner, and they could talk about many things, even, if they dropped their usual bickering. The guy could go from making his blood boil in one moment to calming his nerves in the next; drive him up the wall and let him laugh freely... And he didn't even reek that bad on some days.

"So, what's the pan for today, Curly?"

The corner of Sanji's eye gave a twitch. He still couldn't get used to the hilarious – and painfully obvious – nicknames the mossbrain called him by.

"Today? Today is cleaning day, so I'm gonna wipe the floor with your ugly mug, you shitty bastard," he snarled.

"Dartbrow," Zoro sneered to that.

"Third-rate, sorry excuse for a swordsman!" Sanji shot back.

"Fucking ballerina! Pansy-ass duckface!"

"Ducks can eat marimo in no time, you fucker!"

They were at each other's throats, their foreheads almost touching. A moment of silence fell on them, and Sanji became aware of his surroundings once more. People stood staring at them, girls giggled and whispered into each other's ears. He felt his cheeks redden. He hadn't realized how loud they had gotten. Zoro burst into a fit of laughter, startling the blond even more, making him glare at the mossy swordsman with wide eyes.

"Cook, let's run," the grabbed Sanji's wrist and jumped into a sprint before the cook could have done anything. "Come on, before the police catches us!"

Sanji glanced behind his back, only to spot two figures in blue uniforms nearing them.

"Oh shit shit  _shit!_ "

Soon they were dashing through streets and dirty alleyways, Zoro tugging the blond along after him. Fast as they might have run, they wouldn't have gotten far, seeing as they were circling around the same block over and over... Sanji grumbled and picked up speed; that pace wasn't near what he was capable of if needed be. Thus, he freed his coat-sleeve from Zoro's grip with a single pull, and ignoring the flabbergasted groan coming from the Marimo's direction, he took the idiot's hand, and after two quick turns – that were not leading around the building again for a change –, he pulled him into an alley and slammed him to the wall.

"Ugh, hey, cook, what the–"

"Sssssh!" Sanji hissed, his eyes burning into Zoro's, his hand over the Marimo's mouth.

They listened for sounds to come from the streets, but nothing reached them. The cook let out a sigh, and while he withdrew his hand, his fingers brushed over brown lips. Zoro quickly bent down to mess with his shoelaces, thankful for the fact that Sanji was still looking into the direction of the street and the alley was as dark as a donkey's asshole at midnight. It bought him time until the red of his face would fade and his heart would calm down a little. Fuck, he didn't think he would be so out of shape that a little running would make his pulse rise like that. He would have to train more, goddammit.

He licked his lips, then stood up.

"I think they didn't follow us," the blond noted, turning back from the front of the alleyway. "You done, Marimo? Can we go?"

But the bastard didn't answer squat. Instead, he was staring at his face so intensely that his wrinkles between his eyebrows crunched up. Sanji's hairs bolted up on his back from that look.

"W-hat is it?! Forget it, Marimo, no matter how hard you try, you won't even be as good-looking as me. Don't even waste you–"

"Shut up, Curly-brow. If I ever begin to look the least bit like you, do me a favor and buy me a one-way plane ticket to Iceland. What the hell, are you growing a mustache?"

The cook stroked along the skin above his lips with his fingertips. That gesture made something curl in the pit of the swordsman's stomach, but he shrugged it off.

"No, not really, I just overslept this morning and... Why, you don't like it?"

"No. Not one bit."

"Fine," the cook nodded, and a wide grin spread across his face, "then I'll keep it."

"Meh," Zoro grunted, trying to repress the urge to get over and done with this blond problem of his. "Let's get going, cook. I'm starving. If I have to wait hours to get some food, I swear it will be  _you_  I'm gonna carve out. Maybe there's still some meat left on that skinny ass of yours."

"Pffft. Even that would be too good for you, shithead. I bet you have a nice collection of fat rolls on your stomach from that shit-ton of instant noodles you shove down your throat."

"Huh, believe me, you'd be lucky if you ever got to look at it even once," Zoro grinned. "Don't be too jealous, blondie, some of us just can't build up any muscleEAAAGH SHIT!" The swordsman fell onto one knee, rubbing the sore spot on his thigh where the kick had fallen. "What the hell, cook! The only reason I'm not killing you right now is that I'm fucking hungry!"

The blond stuck a cigarette into his mouth and leisurely lit up; he could easily mask the pleased smirk his lips were forming. God, how good it felt not having to hold back and letting off some steam. He was slowly getting hooked on these shared afternoons, it seemed.

And Zoro was just  _begging_  for a good ass-kicking.

"The other reason is that it would be too much of a hassle to drag your ass for miles," the green haired man grumbled under his breath.

"What the fuck are you talking about, mossbrain? We're already here," Sanji announced, flicking his cig to the side. Zoro raised his eyes onto the building in front – it was true; Sanji's apartment was inside there. But how had they gotten here so fast? He needed at least an hour to get here every day...

"The stop is five minutes from here, shitface," the blond turned to him from the middle of the staircase. "And we came out through there," he pointed towards the alley, barely ten steps away.

Zoro mumbled something in his embarrassment and followed the guffawing blond. Dammit, if he didn't mean to do it before, he definitely would punch him in the face now, that was for damn sure!

He pulled his shoulder blades together and shifted his weight on his leg that was further behind him while the cook was fidgeting with the lock. In the instant the key turned and the door opened, the swordsman pushed the blond bastard inside with a vehement shove. Sanji fell over the doorstep with a startled groan, but thanks to his reflexes, he was on his feet again before the Marimo could have tackled him to the ground, dancing away from his arm's reach.

"You little piece of shameless shit!" The blond shouted, yanking his scarf from his neck. Which he threw unceremoniously onto the couch along with his coat – something he had never done before; a sure sign of his sanity finally leaving him because of that shitty swordsman. "I thought you were hungry, you fucker!"

"I am," Zoro grinned maliciously. That sent some unexpected shivers down Sanji's spine.

Making use of his momentary shock, Zoro hurled himself towards Sanji, and quickly ducked away from the pain-promising roundhouse kick countering him. The swordsman shot his hand towards his ankle, but the blond was faster – with the momentum of his kick, he leaped into the air, landing on the edge of the couch. The green haired man smirked. The cook couldn't have given him a better opportunity. Before Sanji could have come up with anything, the swordsman was at the other edge, grabbing the armrest, and with pulling it harshly towards himself, he made the cook lose his balance and fall over along the cushions. Fortunately, Sanji preferred comfort, so his head met with soft padding instead of solid wood. However, that was painful enough in itself, too, and Sanji was working on blinking the stars out of his vision when a muscled body descended onto him, pressing him into the couch with its weight, while two hands pinned his arms above his head. Zoro grinned down on him.

"Got you now, cook."

Sanji felt goose-skin prickle over his arms to his neck, making him shiver slightly under that gaze. His breath hitched in his throat and he couldn't avert his eyes from those two dark irises directed at him, as though they were about to swallow his very soul – like two black holes, but not actually black like he had thought them to be. Green, so deep they seemed bottomless. The blond's eyes shifted to the man's lips, parched from the cold, the cracks on them open again from his smirk. He could see the red of blood in the tiny wounds. Sanji held back the urge to lick his own, and moved his hips to sit up, only to feel Zoro's knee between his legs...

" _Wrrrrr–– Wrrrrr––..."_

The blond froze. The green-head raised his eyebrow and looked to the side, towards the backrest where Sanji's coat had been thrown. A small, square-shaped light illuminated his pocket... His phone! His fucking phone, ohgodhankyoushitfucking _thankyou!_  The cook sat up so abruptly that the smacked his forehead against the swordsman's.

" _Agh!_ What? No, Usopp, nothing happened. What? Franky wants blueberry muffins for the party? Who the shit-titty fuck came up with thi– Oh, Robin-chwan? Well, yeah, of-fucking-course I can do it! And pumpkins for decoration? So that wasn't just Luffy shitting me yesterday? Okay, fine, I'll figure something out..." The cook pinched the bridge of his nose as he spoke. He glanced to the side and saw the green haired man grabbing a beer from the fridge and sitting down in the dimly-lit kitchen. The sun was already down to its last rays outside.

The cook got to his feet and started walking around the room, trying to focus on what Usopp was telling him though the receiver, but honestly, he couldn't concentrate half as much as he wanted to. He swept the cold sweat from his nape with his palm. What the fuck had  _almost_ happened?

"Yeah, yeah, just give me a moment," he muttered as he headed to the kitchen. He pulled the top drawer of his first cupboard open and took out a pen and some paper. He always kept something in there in case he would have to write down new recipe ideas before forgetting them. Something Zeff had thought him a long time ago.

He sneaked a glance at the swordsman, but he was half-turned towards the window. He brought the bottle to his lips, taking two long gulps. As the bastard raised his head, his Adam's apple turned more visible, bobbing up and down under tanned skin...

"Sanji...? Are you still there?"

"Wha– Of course I'm here, you fucking idiot! I'm just having a guest over, that's all."

"Oh, another lovely lady caught in your web, eh?"

"No, nothing like that," Sanji replied, rubbing his eye with his left wrist. "When did you become this brave, long-nose? Did you forget that I'm cooking your meals? I wouldn't be messing with someone so close to the thing your life depends on..."

"Y-you would never do that! You wouldn't ever tamper with anyone's food...!"

"Maybe not, but I could still stamp your brain with the pattern of my shoes, and I sure as hell will if you continue with this smug attitude," the blond threatened quietly. He enjoyed this game so much. Usopp was easy to scare until he pissed himself. That was why he wasn't aware of the swordsman having moved to face him, his brows furrowed in a slightly worried expression. "Okay, yeah, bye," Sanji hung up and shoved the phone into his back pocket. He glanced over at the Marimo. "Still starving, shithead?"

"Yeah, definitely," Zoro said as he raised his bottle again. Of the sight of that, Sanji quickly turned and pulled his lips together tightly.

"I-I have already marinated the chicken, so after that and the salad are done, you can stuff my delicious cuisine into your unrefined mouth."

"Whatever you say, Curly. What are you making, anyway?"

"Citrus-chicken drumsticks with honey-roasted red potatoes and Caesar salad. I haven't done it in a long time, anyway..."

The last bits of the cook's monologue was cut off for Zoro. His eyes, again, wandered over to the slim back and hips, then the edge of the cook's phone caught his attention. He really wasn't to blame; the jeans the blond was wearing were so tight that the poor device was sticking out halfway from the pocked it had been forced into. The swordsman resolved to wait and see whether it fell out or not. Before he had even realized, he was watching Sanji's ass, imagining firm muscles dancing under the fabric, and he even lifted himself a little when the cook bent down to get something from the lower drawers. He really didn't care about that stupid mobile anymore, when finally, as the cook was standing back up, it decided it was time to jump. That swordsman launched his hand towards it and managed to catch it in the last minute before it slipped out completely, grinning in triumph. Only when the cook froze and turned to look at him did he realize that he was grabbing the guy's ass.

"Um. Phone."

Sanji glanced at Zoro's open palms, his mobile resting on top of them.

"Yeah," he said quietly. "Thanks." Snatching it up, he got right back to work.

It surprised the green-head a little. If anything, he had expected a foot in his face, not a cool and collected Sanji. However, his eyes went wide when he spotted the flushing skin above the cook's collar, which soon spread onto his earlobes. The swordsman swung his bottle to his mouth and realized it was already empty, so he looked out the window again, drumming silently on the surface of the kitchen counter until dinner was ready. Yeah, the window was safe.

They ate in relative silence. Only one or two half-hearted jabs interrupted the awkwardness in the air. After another beer from Zoro's and a glass of wine from Sanji's side – which the blond had drunk in one long gulp –, they agreed that delaying sparring until next time would be a good idea. After all, none of them felt like it anymore, full and sleepy.

At the door, when Zoro was just sitting down to pull his boots on, Sanji crouched up to him from behind.

"So, when will I see you next, Mossie?" He asked, taking the cigarette from his lips and blowing the smoke into the air.

"I'm sure it'll be sooner than you expect, Curly."

"And why would I expect anything that's in the slightest relation to you?"

Zoro's boots hit the floor after he had finished tying them, and, still sitting, the green-hair turned to the source of the cook's voice, finding him just a breath away. Both men just stared at each other for a split second, with their noses almost touching, before jumping back in shock. The swordsman stood to open the door hurriedly.

"Well, uh, good-bye, then, Dartbrow," he said, stepping out and closing the door behind him, not even waiting for a response.

Sanji was left to sit on the floor for a while, to decide if he wanted to think about what had – almost – gone down between them or not.  _Twice_  on the same afternoon, to top it off. His phone finally made the decision for him, as it began vibrating silently in his pocket.

" _I'll give you a call when we've won the tournament. - Z"_

"Huh!" The cook seethed. Smug bastard.

Sanji shoved his mobile back into his pocket, and stepped towards the kitchen, with the intention of looking over his notes of Usopp's call. Time to get shit done.

* * *

**TBC**

 


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9

 

_”Her breath began to speak_   
_As she stood right in front of one_   
_The color of her eyes_   
_Were the color of insanity_   
_Crushed beneath her wave_   
_Like a ship, I could not recall her shore_   
_We’re all just dancers on the Devil’s Dance Floor_

_Well swing a little more, little more o’er the merry-o_   
_Swing a little more, a little more next to me -_   
_Swing a little more, little more o’er the merry-o_   
_Swing a little more, on the Devil’s Dance Floor!”_

The big event didn’t come easily to anybody. The weather was getting worse, and although Usopp said he’ll take care of the decorations and make sure everything was in place, Sanji couldn’t help but panic inside. Of course all bigger events were the same at some parts, and Sanji had already gotten rid of the panic through the years and it was almost a routine now, even if the geezer did the biggest part of the organizing. Hell he didn’t even have to bother himself with the decorations or music – Brook had gladly accepted the invitation. Well it wasn’t even a question in the first place since he and Franky had been friends like forever and some members of the Laboon were former workers at the Franky Brothers before they entered the band.  
But even if everything was just routine Sanji couldn’t force himself to stay calm at all. He tried to keep his hands busy and checked his phone from time to time, but the knot in his stomach hadn’t loosened up for five days now.

”Gosh, Sanji is high strung” commented Usopp, keeping his voice low enough for only Luffy to hear. He really didn’t want to end up like that poor human he’d talked with yesterday on the phone. The black haired liar hoped he would get his hearing back eventually.  
Luffy looked at the cook and nodded in agreement. He was right, the blond was practically vibrating as he leaned over the pumpkin cakes to decorate them. The straw hat boy had tried to steal one earlier and Sanji had almost bitten his arm off.

”Maybe he misses Zoro” said Luffy matter-of-factly.

”I still don’t get what you are talking about. You know what, forget it, I don’t want to be involved if those are two gonna fight. Because that’s why we had to keep quiet about him coming isn’t it? They’ll kill each other!”

The engineer/decorator was sweating heavily now. He clearly remembered the years he spent as Zoro’s classmate in highschool. Even if they were friends and he didn’t need to worry about him – well at least most of the time - he couldn’t help but feel a little relieved when the green-head had left to learn swordsmanship from a mastermind abroad.

But his peaceful plans had gone up in smoke when Luffy introduced him to the blond the next day as the new student from the next class. He could smell trouble and dangerous people from miles away and if Zoro had looked like a demon from time to time Sanji could have been some sort of fallen angel from the depths of Hell with his handsome face and snapping personality. Power was radiating from him too; not on the surface like with Zoro, but under the surface, and the liar had felt himself shiver under those piercing, icy-blue eyes.

Then the blonde smiled and he’d felt a little relieved. It turned out Sanji was a good guy and soon they’d become friends and if he kept to his rules about food and women he didn’t suffer his wrath too often. It’ds been two years now and somehow he’d managed to survive and live a beautiful life with his beautiful girlfriend in their okay-ish house. He cannot risk this.

”Did I ever tell you about my I-Can’t-Be-Near-When-Two-”

”Oi shitheads! Get back to work or I’ll rip your balls off!”

”Balls? What kind of balls Sanji-san? Is it Christmas soon?” asked Chimney with faked innocence. Because if anything that’s one thing she wasn’t, thanks to living with the loud-mouthed Kokoro. But of course, it fooled Sanji every time.

”Oh my love forget about them” said the cook leaning in with a little smile. ”Would you like to come and help me with those heart-shaped snacks?”

”Of course!” chirped the girl, pointing at the pumpkin-shaped cookies the blonde just finished decorating ”Can I have one of those? Pleeeeease?”  
Luffy noticed the little thumb-up the girl gives him behind her back while the cook was handing her one. The black-haired guy’s stomach automatically growled but he ignored it. As long as Chimney could keep the cook distracted, he needed to take his mind off whatever it was for a while. He flashed a smile and winked at her as Sanji took her behind the bar.

”You’re up to something” whispered the long nosed man almost inaudibly, hoping Luffy didn’t hear and wouldn’t drag him into whatever they were doing.

”Hey Usopp.”

The engineer dropped his shoulders. It was almost scary that this guy who looked around ten years old spoke up when you were thinking about him.  
Slowly raising his head and looking at Luffy’s maniac grin he couldn’t believe the guy didn’t have some hidden talent for mindreading. He knew first hand that it meant trouble – adventure, as the black haired guy called it and glorious mess was what other’s named it at the very least it would be a long run and a headache.  
Sweat was beading on his neck.

”Luffy noo…” he whispered, holding his hand up to hide his mouth from the cook. ”I don’t think Sanji would appreciate it if…”

”Sanji!” shouted Luffy all of a sudden. ”My favorite hotdog-stand is here, can we have a break?”

The cook’s whole body jerked the mention of junkfood, like he was hit by electricity. But he only waved his hand.

”As long as you’re not eating the food for the party I wouldn’t care even if you ate ratpoison. Get the fuck out you worthless idiots, but don’t stay for too long! If you’re not finished in time I’ll kick the shit out of you so hard ya’ll sneeze brown for a week!”  
Usopp – poor, overtormented Usopp – was running outside as fast as his legs could go. But the supposed hotdog-stand was nowhere to be seen.

”Where…?”

”Nowhere. I needed a good reason to get out so Sanji wouldn’t hear us.”  
Usopp shook his head. His hearing might’ve gone bad. Because this kid couldn’t lie to save his life. The last time he tried – when Nami asked him about her missing caramel filled chocolate eggs in high school – the boy’s voice had pitched an octave higher and he couldn’t look in her eyes. Luffy leaped out of the shadow of the building and the rim of his hat finally drew back enough to see his face. Which, even by the best intentions could only be described as beet red.  
The brave captain Usopp let out a breath and wiped his forehead. Now he could be sure that he hadn’t ended up in an alternate universe by some mysterious accident, where Luffy’s vegetarian, Zoro knits handkerchiefs and Nami likes country music. That’s a relief.

”So? What was that.”

”Shhh! Do you remember Zoro asked us to act like we don’t know him in front of Sanji?”

”Yeeeah…? I still don’t understa-”

”He wants it to be a surprise!” cried Luffy with shining eyes. Usopp took a step back to get out of the way of his flailing arms.”He talks about him all the time! And nowadays he’s in a way better mood than he’s been!”

Usopp had known Luffy long enough to strip the product of boy’s hyperactive enthusiasm from the blabbering, and get the correct picture from the remaining pieces.

”So” he started carefully ”Zoro and Sanji are friends.”

”Yes.”

”And Sanji does not have a clue that Zoro and us…”

”That’s right!”

”And Zoro wants to surprise him that he’s been a part of the gang for a long time!”

”EXACTLY!”

”OH MY GOSH THIS WILL BE A HORRIBLE DISASTER!” screeched Usopp with his hands laced together over his head. Luffy was boxing in the air and almost started to dance when -

”Oi! Shitheads!” Sanji was standing behind them, leaning halfway out of the door with a freshly lit cigarette in his hand. ”If you scream like that the neighbours will call the police on us” he said flicking the ash from his cigarette. ”Please let your stupidity out somewhere else, preferably far away from this restaurant. And why do you look like I just stepped on your puppy dog’s grave,”  
Usopp send a small prayer to heaven as thanks that Sanji hadn’t come out half a minute sooner than he did. In that case, they would’ve bene in deep trouble and he was sure Zoro’d chop off his more treasured parts and make him eat them as rissole. He felt the sweat bead on his skin.

”It’s no-nothing in pa—”

”Sanji! Meat!”

Sanji raised an eyebrow. ”Didn’t you just eat, you pig?”

”But Sanji’s food is the best!” declared the black haired boy, sliding inside under the cook’s arm.

”Oi!” yelled the blonde, and dropping his finished cigarette he launched in after him. ”You won’t get anywhere with flattery you shitty rubber! And don’t you DARE to touch the food... Luffy I’m warning you!!!”  
The door slammed shut, stiffling the sounds of chasing inside. Usopp slowly walked towards it, he couldn’t stop wondering about the new information he just got. For one: Zoro made this whole secret business for Sanji’s half, and two: Luffy used the same action to escape from another lie and distract the cook. Which means their captain either is a lucky idiot, or more cunning than they would all take credit for.  
Somewhere at the opposite end of the town a lonely swordsman was emptying the contents of his cabinet on the bed and scattered around the room, trying to get the better over his sudden hiccuping.

 

~oOo~

”Mmmm… you sure you wanna go…?”

Robin stroked the messy locks. The blue haired man’s voice was so sleepy and hoarse, just like always after sex. With one of his giant arms on her hips he pulled her closer and dropped his head on her stomach, enjoying her warmth.  
Robin didn’t really know if she should feel like an oversized teddy bear or more like a pillow. Even if it would be really tempting to stay like this, with the warmth of the afternoon sun on her skin and Franky at her side under the blankets – neither of them could get tired of days like this – yet a indescribable inner voice told her they’d miss some very interesting events if they’d allow for the moment.  
And Robin knew if they wouldn’t not move soon the blue haired man would fall asleep within moments, and it would be even harder to get him going afterwards.

”Mmmhm” hummed the black haired woman. ”So go get ready. You can have the bathroom first.” Then with that mischievous smile of hers she leaned forward and hissed to his ear. The result was immediate, Franky jumped up like springs were planted in his ass. Well, with him nobody can be sure about anything. The goosebumps were visibly spreading up his arm as he lifted his hands to rub his ear.

”For heaven’s sake woman! Don’t you remember the first time you did this?”  
Robin did remember, she also knew she’d have to wear bandages over her nose he’d bumped his head to it. But she wasn’t willing to apply make-up, not even for her publisher’s pleads. The purple bruise just looked too badass to hide, and who cares anyway if she writes under an alias right?

The sounds of iron squeaking and running water were coming from next door. Robin leaped out under the blankets. She didn’t spare a glance at the crumbled gown on the floor nor at the grumpy looking dragon embroidered in the silky fabric as she walked towards the wardrobe. The darkened windows made it impossible for anybody to look inside, not to mention the next neighbour was living at least half a kilometer away from them, on the hillside.  
She was discarding one dress after another when her eyes suddenly set on the one in front of her. The elegant, dark purple fabric was decorated with thin golden and silver threads. Soft black lace was covering the low neck, and the skirt was loose enough to dance.  
Yet that wasn’t the part the black haired woman was looking at, it was the tight waist. Her fingertips were tracing the smooth skin of her abdomen almost subconsciously. If her suspicions were right, she wouldn’t be able to wear this dress for a long time.  
Smacking footsteps were coming from behind her and two wet arms laced themselves around her waist.

”I like this one” said Franky, dropping his chin on her shoulder. Robin chuckled lowly, stroking the fabric once more.

”Yeah, I think I do too.”

 

~oOo~

 

”So everything is okay guys?” asked the cook, looking through his list one last time.

”Of course, Sanji-san” chimed Brook, using his most cheerful and shooting voice. The boy in front of him was visibly antsy; his wrinkled collar was poking out from under his black waistcoat, and his hair looked like he had spent the last few hours grabbing at it. And sure, the cook’s hand was already halfway to his head as he was letting out a shaky, tired breath.

”Sanji-san, why don’t you drink something and rest a little in the back office? We have at least… twenty seconds until the agreed time” smiled Brook and placed his hand on the smaller man’s shoulder. ”We’ll guard the bar in the meantime” he added, grinning.

This finally made him laugh – it would be the joke of the century if the band would drink themselves under table before the party. The Laboon never, not for all treasure of the world would ever risk the success of the performance, vowing prohibition until the end of the last song. So they ate as much sweets as they could to deal with the alcohol deprivation.  
Of course Sanji’d taken care of their needs too. Several plates of warm, delicious smelling brownies and cookies were stored in the back office, with two large cartons of milk.

How could somebody drink so much milk like the guy with the afro does was beyond him. He waved to the band and rather than going to the office he went for the kitchen instead, to sit on the stone steps at the back of the restaurant a moment later with a freshly lit cigarette and a cup in his hand, which by a single glance could be said was containing the most poisonous coffee in the world. There was hardly any time to rest, and his legs were already taking him towards the changing room which lead to the centuries old, small, but clean shower.  
He barely rinsed the shampoo out of his hair when his phone started vibrating on the shelf under the mirror. A message.

_”On the way!" Luffy_

”Oh shit” Sanji grumbled. The speed at which he finished showering and dressing could easily pass for an world record. He didn’t have time to dry his hair properly as he was already running towards the main hall at full speed. The sight that greeted him wasn’t any different from what he was expecting. Hooking his boney arms around himself, Brook tried to restrain a wildly fighting black haired boy from the heavily packed tables.

”Try to have a little self-respect you little fuck!” shrieked the blonde, and his shoe connected to the middle of the straw hat of the boy with merciless power.

”Sanjiiiiii… just a biiiite…” pleaded Luffy, temporarily planted into the decoration of the tiles.

”Nope” said the blond and sat on top of him without further ceremony, holding the crawling captain in place until Nami and Usopp arrived, with the quietly giggling Chopper and Kaya on their tow.

Franky and Robin were there soon, and as the rest of the guests arrived the band started as well, playing a soft background music for the greetings of long time not seen acquaintances.

People flooded the room. Sanji recognized one man with long wavy dark hair and a strange black tattoo on his chin. And the thin, ginger haired man next to him could even hold his own against Usopp in a nose competition. He also spotted a man with flaming red hair in the other end, wearing hideous colours and such a serial killer face Sanji’d almost consider calling the cops if Luffy hadn’t started to prattle him the minute he stepped through the door. The kid – no matter how often he tried to think of him as an adult, it simply didn’t seem right – seemingly liked him, and was jumping up and down in his seat while talking. The man with the white fluffy hat sitting next to him erupted in loud laughter from time to time, making the red head growl at him but the slim guy simply shrugged and relaxed back his seat.

A hand was tapping on his shoulder. He was soo deep engrossed in his thoughts he didn’t even realize Usopp slipping in next to him.

”We’ve been here for almost an hour now and I think everybody’s here. Is it ok if we serve up the starters?”

Sanji mentally face-palmed. Was it really up to Usopp to remind him of this?

”Great idea” he said and took the unlit cigarette from his lips and put it back in the box. ”Could you take a turn behind the bar for me? You can do the speech while I’m gone.”

”We’ve been planning that” nodded the curly haired guy with a cunning smile on the edge of his lips. Sanji raised an eyebrow but he decided to let it go.

”And make sure our ’Captain’ doesn’t touch anything” pointing at the hidden food under the counter.

The engineer saluted and slid behind the bar, just as Sanji stepped through the door leading to the kitchen’s corridor.  
Before he made the turn he saw the small figure in the edge of his vision, wearing an oversized bright pink hat, it slid in beside Usopp. He smiled. Usually he’d serve some salad or fruits, but the boy was pleading with him so much he just gave in and made his favourite.

Sanji was humming to himself as he placed the colourful fruit-rice cups on the trays. Besides women, children could be his second weak point, he supposed. It was enough to think of how much he enjoyed spoiling Chimney if he had the opportunity. The answer was that he did it very frickin’ much, of course.

He turned, and while balancing the trays on his arms, he headed back. The noise was getting louder and clearer, but the big, thick curtains hanging in front of the front buffet’s windows muffled everything, so Sanji didn’t have a clue who was standing on the stage.  
By the time he reached the small steps the speech was already over, leaving the guests in cheers and applause.  
Holding the trays high, the blonde stepped through the door and went to the bar to give the first turn to Usopp, but the man was looking towards the stage cheering too, not having a mind for anything else.

”Usopp what the fu---”

”Hey Cook.”

Sanji turned and almost spilled the trays over himself. Next to the wall between the door and the stage was standing… the Marimo himself.

And not just anyhow. Over the white shirt he was wearing the perfectly fitting black waistcoat which was decorated with small silvery buttons and he wore matching trousers and shoes. A necktie was nowhere to be seen and the collar was left loosely open, making a sharp contrast between the tan of the man’s skin and the white fabric.  
But the unusual outfit didn’t make him look ridiculous at all. Sanji’s mind - which suddenly ran on hyper-speed – was proving that yeah, exactly on the contrary. It was highlighting his broad shoulders, implying the defined muscles under the fabric, and – Sanji couldn’t stop his thoughts in time before they reached it – the perfect ass too, he supposed.

Not like he had anything against the faded jeans he usually wore, but… but what?!  
Before he could take a hold of his imagination, it was already entertaining him with at least three different pictures of the possible sight…  
The green haired man’s hands were in his pockets, an off-handed feeling radiating from his body language, like if he was asking: ”Whazzup?”  
Not like there was any chance he’d get acceptable answers anytime soon. From the shock which short-circuited the blond’s brain, ther could as well be ”Out of Order” or ”Maintenance Needed” written on his forehead. By the way, maintenance…

But Zoro visibly enjoyed Sanji’s reactions, judging by how his cheeky grin spread to a full, predatory smile, revealing the short, sharp looking teeth behind the stretching lips. The cook felt all the heat in his body was rushing to his face…

Somewhere in the back of his mind a ironical voice started to giggle maliciously. The one question which was able to get through the block in his mind was how did the marimo end up h ---

”Sanjiiiii” screeched a high-pitched voice and something slammed to the swordsman’s back so hard it made him tumble over, right at the very edge of the blonde’s personal space. First it was the straw hat what appeared above the green haired man’s shoulder, closely followed by a black mop and grinning face. ”Surpriiiseeee!”

The blonde blinked. ”Luffy…? Ho---”

”It was all Zoro’s idea!” grinned the boy, lacing his arm around the other’s neck. ”We already knew him before we met you!”

”He left on the day before you arrived and met us” mumbled Usopp, trying to get over the laughter shaking his shoulders.

”You were in this too Usopp?” turned the blonde.

”Yes, he was responsible to get you out of here and signal us when he could come in” grinned Luffy.

”And now, shake hands as big boys do!” laughed the engineer, trying to hold it together.

Sanji, really didn’t have any clue where the long nosed guy got his sudden courage, but the words got stuck in his throat when he noticed that the marimo was really offering his right hand to him! Sanji held out his too, trying to resist the sudden urge to whipe it on his trousers. He was now too aware of how sweaty it was. That dumb smile was still on the other man’s face and he seriously had no idea of how he could’ve he thought it was goddamn sexy only a few minutes ago…

”Oh Sanji-kun you’re here!” said a high-pitched voice and blue wavy hair was flowing in the line of his vision, grabbing his offered hand. He had to blink before he realizes what was happening.

”Vivi-chan?”

”Yes Sanji, it’s only us” Nami was practically purring as she stepped beside the blue haired girl. Anyone with the slightest shred of common sense would smell trouble and started looking for an escape route right now. Expect this dumb, distracted cook of course.

”Would you mind if we… kidnap you for a little while?” She winked, and slowly dragged her hands up over the blond’s chest as she pushed him towards the door.

”What? I dont ---”

”Please Sanji-san” whispered a third voice behind Nami’s back. It was Kaya, her face shyly turned towards the floor, her big blue eyes pleading with him.

Sanji gave up. And who was he anyway to decline three such beautiful women who were only looking for his company?! He was sure the ladies would open up soon anyway, and his lucky star could shine too – but that it was going to be a night like this, that he wasn’t prepared for.  
”Anywhere you want me ladies!” he said turning to Vivi, following her blindly while she was dragging him by the hand, so he couldn’t see the wink and smirks Nami and Kaya shared behind his back.

 

~oOo~

”Just one more Sanji-san, for me!”

Sanji hesitately took the glass from Kaya and moved to clink it to hers, nearly missing it. His head was buzzing nicely, and the room had started swaying one or two drinks ago.  
The cook knew he was a horrible lightweight, and if he wanted to avoid more embarrassing situations – there had been already more of them than he would’ve liked – he needed to stop, now.

”Nami-swa---” he started, holding up his hands to protest – or apologize – but the red haired goddess currently kneeling in front of him brought a new glass to his lips and tilted it.

”Cssss Sanji-kun, you don’t want to disappoint me do you? Or should I take it that you don’t love me anymore?” she whispered, pursing her lips over the side of the rim.  
This was working, the blonde was swallowing the drink down so fast Kaya was sure the motion almost reached the speed of light. She was waiting for the sound of detonation, the sign when the rum was hitting his stomach.

Nami hid her face behind her hand and muffled a chuckle. Maybe she could hide the evil grin spreading on her face but she couldn’t do anything with the sparkle in her eyes. Thank gods Sanji was way behind the point of noticing things like these.  
If only all her plans would go this smoothly. Vivi was already stepping behind the chair, with a glass of caramel brown liqueur in one hand and on the cook’s shoulder was the other.

The red head was really satisfied with the way things were going. She’d needed many parties to figure out which drinks made the cook drunk as fast as possible but without getting him sick. And right now was the meaning and the reason behind of their actions. She winked at the blue haired girl and focused all of her attention on the blond.

”Sanji-kun” she said and she moved her hips just enough to catch the cook’s attention. She leaned closer to his face. But the blond’s vision was so unfocused at this point that she had to take his face between her hands to make him look at her. When the blue orbs found the low neck of her dress she let out a relieved sigh. This was a good sign, saying they were on the right track.

”Sanji-kun” she repeated, raising his chin a little higher. His eyes more or less found hers. Great.

”Sanji-kun” whispering, she stroked his face with her fingers ”do you know what mad bride-dance is?”

 

~oOo~

”Pull his head over it Vivi! Wait wait don’t pull it down jet, his face and the panties have to be visible toooo and ---done!”

A satisfied smirk pulled on Nami’s face as she examined the photos on her phone. The perfect blackmailing material, and she’d kick herself if she’d let an opportunity like this slide through her fingers. She’ll send them to her home server immediately, and to other secret places no one else knew about. The one time when Zoro destroyed her previous phone to get rid of similar embarrassing pictures was enough to make her learn from her mistakes.

”Will this be good enough Nami? What do you think?” There was enough excitement in Kaya’s usually shy voice to make her grin spread even wider. She looked at the result with critical eyes while tapping her chin with her phone.

”Na-Nami-swan…”

Nami ignored the small whine coming from the man and continued her mustering. Truth be told, they did a very excellent job. Even if the dress was a little baggy on the cook’s slender frame. Did he lose weight since last time they met? Better to take a note for later, just to be sure.  
But it was nearly unbelievable how the pink and frills suited him so WELL. The make-up made his features more feminine, and despite the slight drunken wobble he was wearing Iva’s red high heels with such calm confidence like he was born to wear them. Even she would be jealous, if a) the show wouldn’t be as great as it was, and b) it wouldn’t be her idea in the first place. She watched as Vivi, holding the skirt up, brought the pink frilly panties over his underwear. The rubber slapped at Sanji’s waist, making the red faced man jump a little and bringing the edge of the skirt down to his knees, giggling.

Oh my, can this be even better?

”Shouldn’t we… shave his beard?” whispered Vivi uncertanly.

”…No. It’s so much better like this.”  
The red haired woman considered something for a moment, then smiled again.

”Give him the wig too.”

 

~oOo~

The dance floor was almost full now. After Usopp and Franky had moved the tables further to make more room for the dancers the blue haired man grabbed Robin and joined the mass.  
The Laboon did their best too, Zoro had to admit, not leaving his position next to the food for a minute.  
Twenty minutes ago after a short, but vicious fight he was able drag Luffy from the meat.

The green haired man couldn’t be more grateful that beside Sabo Nami invited Dadan and Garp as well, even if the older man was only good for entertaining people at their table rather than keeping his grandson under control.  
Maybe they would do until Nami gets back again and takes her usual place as main trainer.

Just as if sensing his thoughts the red haired woman entered the room. Sneaking near the walls. All alone, without any blond or blue haired companions. Knowing the person in mind, it seemed reasonable enough for all people of the earth to say: Suspicious, clearly suspicious!  
The swordsman furrowed his brows, making the wrinkles deepen on his forehead. What was going on here? Where the heck was the cook? And what was the crazy witch planning?!

Zoro watched her sneaking up the edge of the stage and give Brook a thumb up and wink when he noticed her arrival.  
The man nodded, and after the last tunes he lowered his violin and leaned to the microphone.

”Ladies and gentlemen, please give us your attention, we have an announcement!”

”Wohoooo” shrieked a voice from the audience ”congratulation to the baby Robiiin!”

”Save it for another time Yosaku, that’s not it.”

There was a disappointed ’Aaaah!’ from the audience, closely followed by low chuckling. Nami quickly took hold on the mic before the conversation could go any further. Clever girl. Knowing Franky’s perverse personality she just saved half of the night with her quick reaction. But the mumbling was still going thanks for the alcohol. Zoro rolled his eyes. It’d better to be quick before his brain leaked out his ears from boredom, and those sweet, lonely liqueurs on the shelves don’t drink themselves. Oh, here it goes.

”…and even if it’s a wedding tradition, I’m sure you1ll all enjoy this special ocassion! Here he comes then… the Mad Bride!”

The what?

But before he could think about it again the door next to the bar banged open and Vivi hurried out, dragging a blonde figure behind herself… Kaya? But why did she change to pink all of a sudden? What was going on?  
And behind the figure there came… another Kaya? She was laughing and pushing the first towards the middle of the dance floor.  
The fuck was this? He’s never seen this blond chick befo---  
But the music started again and the unfamiliar woman started to dance. The people on the dance floor were whopping and chairs scraped the floor as others hurried to join in.  
The music was changed to a more upbeat tune as more and more people were jumping in the circle to dance with the Bride. When the wall closed behind the new volunteer Zoro was able to take a good look at the Bride’s face over their shoulders.

…Cook?

Sanji’s face was on fire and it was easy to tell it wasn’t only from dancing.  
His movements were too wide and unpredictable, and he was laughing at everybody like a frog in a glass of champagne . And talking about alcohols, Zoro was the right man to state that the amount working in the cook was a lot. Not dangerously much, thank the heavens.

”What the hell did you do with him?” yelled Zoro in her ear, trying to fight the volume.

”Do you like it Zoro?” grinned Vivi on his left, clapping with the crowd.

”Go and find out yourself!” yelled Nami, and slapping a hand to his back, she pushed him to the middle. The man who was dancing with Sanji let him go and twirled the cook into the swordsman’s arms.

The crowd erupted in cheers. The blond curls shifted and for a moment two dilated, impossibly blue eyes were looking into his. And for that one, confusing moment it seemed like that was the first real colour he’d ever seen in his life.  
And the world suddenly started to move.  
Like really.

Sanji took the lead, and by the time Zoro got to his senses he was over the first twirl. He needed only one look to realize the blond was messing with him, even in this state, drunk to the yellow earth and dressed like a fucking Disney princess.  
Well two can play this game!  
The swordsman grabbed his left and entwined his fingers, and placing his right around his waist, brought him closer.

Robin was mesmerized by the sight.  
Those two were already dancing for a whole minute, completely lost to the world and nobody, nobody was stepping up to take them apart either.  
the sight was almost… speaking for itself.  
Suddenly a brilliant idea formed in her head, and scribbling some notes on it she slid a napkin in front of Brook.  
The musician’s eyebrows shoot up on his forehead and nodded to her, grinning. The tunes were changing smoothly into the next song.

„So she said what's the problem baby?  
What's the problem I don't know  
Well, maybe I'm in love  
(Love)  
Think about it every time  
I think about it  
Can't stop thinking 'bout it”

It turned out to be a better idea than they were expecting it to be, when more people shrieked and grabbed the other’s arms next to them.  
The strangest and loudest couple was Dadan and Garp without a doubt, doing traditional Russian dancing to the light pop song, successfully distracting people from the other pair. Robin smiled. Those two were pretty deep into their own private world, completely forgetting about reality around them.

„How much longer will it take to cure this?  
Just to cure it ’cause I can't ignore it if it's love (love-)  
Makes me wanna turn around and face me  
But I don't know nothing 'bout love!”

Sanji’s spine arched as Zoro tilted him back. The swing was too fast and the swordsman had to entwine his arms around his hips to keep him from falling. But Sanji didn’t seem to mind it at all, and let his head fall back, grinning.  
The green haired man’s eyes followed the long blonde curls, as they slid aside slowly, agonizingly slowly, revealing the long, white neck, inch by inch.  
He felt his adam’s apple bobble against his throat.  
From the far corner, his mind recognized that a long leg clutched to his own. The green haired man’s heart was racing when he felt the high-heel dragging up his leg, wrinkling his trousers.

 

_"Come on, come on,_   
_Turn a little faster!_   
_Come on, come on,_   
_The world will follow after,_   
_Come on, come on,_   
_’Cause everybody’s after love ~"_

 

The world was speeding up again until it became a blurred mass of colours. The cook twirled and spun, dancing faster, back into his arms with each turn. His breath smelled of sweet rum, and warmth was radiating from his body under Zoro’s hand as he dragged it down his back.

_"_   _So I said I'm a snowball running -_ _  
 _Running down into the spring that's coming all this love_  
 _Melting under blue skies belting out_  
 _Sunlight shimmering love"__

 

The rhythm suddenly changed and the lead slipped from Zoro’s hands. It got him unprepared enough to let himself lead and they danced to the other side of the room. Looking at the cook’s face he knew immediately what was going on. The little mocking laugh in the perfect blue eyes lit electric sparks along his spine.

 

_"Well baby I surrender_   
_To the strawberry ice cream_   
_Never ever end of all this love_   
_Well I didn't mean to do it_   
_But there's no escaping your love, oh"_

 

Damn Curly-brow. Even now, dressed as a woman and half-drunk he couldn’t stop himself from making fun of him somehow. But if anything, he’d never backed away from a challenge, and he didn’t plan on starting now.

 

_"These lines of lightning_   
_Mean we're never alone,_   
_Never alone, no, no_

_Come on, come on_   
_Move a little closer_   
_Come on, come on_   
_I want to hear you whisper_   
_Come on, come on_   
_Settle down inside my love"_

 

What came after this could hardly be described as dancing, more like a battle of passionately moving hips, hands and legs as they pushed and pulled, trying to get further and closer to each other at the same time.

 

_"Oh, come on, come on_   
_Jump a little higher!_   
_Come on, come on -_   
_If you feel a little lighter!_   
_Come on, come on_   
_We were once upon a time in love_

_We're accidentally in love_

_Accidentally in love_

_Accidentally!_

_I'm in love, I'm in love,_   
_I'm in love, I'm in love,_   
_I'm in love, I'm in love,_

_Accidentally ~_

_Come on, come on_   
_Spin a little tighter!_   
_Come on, come on_   
_And the world's a little brighter_   
_Come on, come on_   
_Just get yourself inside her_

_Love… I'm in love.”_

 

Reality crashed down on them in loud cheers from the crowd around them.  
They were both panting, sweat glistening on their necks and foreheads. They were standing so close the cook’s lean body was flushed against his, one leg between his thighs, making the dress roll up enough to leave much more skin on display than was socially acceptable.

And the swordsman’s palms were itching to touch it. The fantasies of how wonderful it would be if he could just trail them up on his deliciously long leg, feeling the strong muscles under the slightly flushed skin and slide under the robes of the pink fabric, were already rolling in his head.

The pull startled him out of them. Somebody, somebody who he really didn’t care about was pulling Sanji from him by the arm. The music started again.

The blonde flashed an apologetic smile, what, for an unknown reason, made his heart skip a beat as he backed away to dance with a skinny looking, tattooed, black haired guy.

Was it only Zoro’s imagination or had the cook’s hands really clenched a little harder to his back before he gave in to that man? Was it because he didn’t want this… whatever it was, to stop either?  
Had his world reduced drastically too when they were nose to nose seconds ago?  
Was he thinking of moving f---  
\---fffuck. He ran a hand through his hair and down his neck. He was tired. He needed some air. And booze. Or both. Preferably fast.

He took a step towards the bar and froze, eyes widening. This couldn’t be real.  
The swordsman turned on his heel and walked in the other direction, where he felt fresh air coming from. He opened the bathroom next to the exit and went into a free cabinet. Once it was locked behind him the green haired man leaned against the wall and ran a hand over his temple and eyes. Then glanced down.  
His trousers were uncomfortably tight in his half-erect state. Thank god and the material it wasn’t very obvious.

He’d enjoyed that dance more than he thought and was supposed to.  
The swordsman let out a breath and felt it’s warmth on his palms. This is the dumbest shit that had ever happened in the history of shittyness.  
… and now he just used the cook’s favourite word twice in one thought. Damn he was a bad influence. And thanks to him, he’s fucked up, greatly.

He could shrug it off as an accident, and pretend this never happened. Men could get hard from almost anything right? By a good fight, from the warmth on the bus or train, so it could just be from an intense dance too, right?  
Right. Also wrong. He wasn’t dumb enough to lie to himself.

The stupid blonde was attractive. He was attractive in many ways, from his body to his prissy personality and dirty mouth which made his blood boil many times. And even if he didn’t know him for long, Zoro would’ve found himself wanting to make him smile and was looking for his company, as strange as it was. It may sound pretty normal to ordinary people, but not for him.  
It’s nothing wrong with being withdrawn, and even if he wasn’t a loner he had never really sought anyone’s attention or presence or opened up this fast. Luffy was the only one he let this close, but they have been friends for years. He had also never seen anybody who could resist that boy.  
And this man just walked in, as if the walls he used to keep the rest of the world out weren’t there.

He had a best friend.  
Now he had a best friend who gave him a hard on.

The swordsman let out another sigh and glanced down again. First things first, thinking too hard has never really lead him anywhere. Should he jerk off right here and now? Or could he just wait until it went away? If he messed up his best – and only – suit trousers then it would be pretty obvious to everyone what he was doing in here for this long.  
Maybe some fresh air would be helpful.  
He step out the cabin but halfway to the door it opened and Robin entered.

”Oh, bushido-san. Are you – she glanced at the woman’s figure on the door - lost again?”

Zoro grumbled something and passed her as fast as he could, clearly hoping the woman’s sharp eyes missed his current state, and hoping the soft chuckle behind him was for his famous sense of direction. The swordsman would gladly admit it this time.  
The wind was chilly outside. The temperature must have dropped at least to 5 degrees Celsius since they arrived, and people who were outside, watching the night sky could feel the creeping steps of winter behind the beauty of late autumn.  
Zoro dropped himself on the bench next to the entrance. The cold felt pleasant against the heated skin of his neck. He closed his eyes and tried to clear his head. The music and cheering were slowly fading in the background, and the sounds of the night got louder and clearer as his ears focused on them.

”Oi marimo, don’t fall asleep here!”

The swordsman jumped in his seat. Next to him stood a very real, very ominous blond, a freshly lit cigarette rolling between his fingers. His face was still a little pink, but he’d changed back into his usual suit and let the last two buttons of his shirt open. The wind picked up again, tousling the blond locks. He brought the cigarette up, wrapped his lips around it and took a drag. The half-smile he was looking at him with didn’t even vanish.  
Zoro’s Adam’s apple bobbed at the sight and he immediately cursed himself for it.

”Did you hear me?”

The blonde grabbed the armrest and leaned forward with such élan only drunk people are capable of, and leaned in his space. The sudden closeness made the green haired man jump and lean back a little. The cook’s breath danced on is his face – it still smelled sweet from the alcohol. The swordsman couldn’t place what it exactly was, and his curiosity demanded him to find out, preferably immediately.

”Earth to Marimo planet! Hello, did you get lost in there??” He poked Zoro’s forehead with his index finger then broke down in laughter, like it was the best joke he’d ever heard in his life.

”Shut your drunk blabbering mouth cook, I only needed some fresh air. I’ll go back soon.”

”Okkkay moss-man!”the cook said and stepped on the butt. ”Don’t freeze your ass off here for too long.”

The swordsman opened his mouth to shoot back when he felt long slender fingers in his hair as they scratched his scalp. The air hitched in his throat and his first reflex of smacking the hand away was closely followed by the awkward need to bury his face into the cook’s hand. His fingertips were cold, but the centre of his palm felt comfortably warm and inviting.  
Then the moment was over just as it came and the doors closed behind him with a soft creek.  
Zoro let out the air he was still holding in and ran a hand through his own hair, down to his neck. The skin there still itched for Sanji’s touch.

”I’m completely fucked, aren’t I?”

 

~oOo~

”Is everything alright, Sanji-san?”

The blonde looked at the musician. Brook was watching him with curiosity, his eyebrows arched high on his temple.

”Yes. Yes, of course, why?”

He swallowed his chocolate muffin and pointed a finger at him.

”You keep squeezing your right hand and wipe to your waistcoat from time to time. Did you get hurt?”  
Sanji looked at him puzzled and examined his palm.

”I… dunno. It keeps itching or… more like tingling. But it’s not that unpleasant.”

”Hmm. For how long has it been feeling like that?”

The cook looked at his hand and wiggled his fingers again. His brows furrowed in thought.  
”Can’t remember.”

”Well, alright then, if it doesn’t hurt. But go ask Chopper-san if it gets uncomfortable.”

Sanji nodded and headed toward the tables. The night went on, with laughter and much more booze and bickering, but the blond didn’t mention the itch to anyone. Even if it didn’t seem to be fading soon, he didn’t mind. It was a warm feeling, anyway.

 

\-----

**TBC**

**also all hail to my awesome beta/edit,** **[sunshinesthroughtheclouds!](sunshinesthroughtheclouds.tumblr.com) **

 

Chapter 9

 

_”Her breath began to speak_   
_As she stood right in front of one_   
_The color of her eyes_   
_Were the color of insanity_   
_Crushed beneath her wave_   
_Like a ship, I could not recall her shore_   
_We’re all just dancers on the Devil’s Dance Floor_

_Well swing a little more, little more o’er the merry-o_   
_Swing a little more, a little more next to me -_   
_Swing a little more, little more o’er the merry-o_   
_Swing a little more, on the Devil’s Dance Floor!”_

The big event didn’t come easily to anybody. The weather was getting worse, and although Usopp said he’ll take care of the decorations and make sure everything was in place, Sanji couldn’t help but panic inside. Of course all bigger events were the same at some parts, and Sanji had already gotten rid of the panic through the years and it was almost a routine now, even if the geezer did the biggest part of the organizing. Hell he didn’t even have to bother himself with the decorations or music – Brook had gladly accepted the invitation. Well it wasn’t even a question in the first place since he and Franky had been friends like forever and some members of the Laboon were former workers at the Franky Brothers before they entered the band.  
But even if everything was just routine Sanji couldn’t force himself to stay calm at all. He tried to keep his hands busy and checked his phone from time to time, but the knot in his stomach hadn’t loosened up for five days now.

”Gosh, Sanji is high strung” commented Usopp, keeping his voice low enough for only Luffy to hear. He really didn’t want to end up like that poor human he’d talked with yesterday on the phone. The black haired liar hoped he would get his hearing back eventually.  
Luffy looked at the cook and nodded in agreement. He was right, the blond was practically vibrating as he leaned over the pumpkin cakes to decorate them. The straw hat boy had tried to steal one earlier and Sanji had almost bitten his arm off.

”Maybe he misses Zoro” said Luffy matter-of-factly.

”I still don’t get what you are talking about. You know what, forget it, I don’t want to be involved if those are two gonna fight. Because that’s why we had to keep quiet about him coming isn’t it? They’ll kill each other!”

The engineer/decorator was sweating heavily now. He clearly remembered the years he spent as Zoro’s classmate in highschool. Even if they were friends and he didn’t need to worry about him – well at least most of the time - he couldn’t help but feel a little relieved when the green-head had left to learn swordsmanship from a mastermind abroad.

But his peaceful plans had gone up in smoke when Luffy introduced him to the blond the next day as the new student from the next class. He could smell trouble and dangerous people from miles away and if Zoro had looked like a demon from time to time Sanji could have been some sort of fallen angel from the depths of Hell with his handsome face and snapping personality. Power was radiating from him too; not on the surface like with Zoro, but under the surface, and the liar had felt himself shiver under those piercing, icy-blue eyes.

Then the blonde smiled and he’d felt a little relieved. It turned out Sanji was a good guy and soon they’d become friends and if he kept to his rules about food and women he didn’t suffer his wrath too often. It’ds been two years now and somehow he’d managed to survive and live a beautiful life with his beautiful girlfriend in their okay-ish house. He cannot risk this.

”Did I ever tell you about my I-Can’t-Be-Near-When-Two-”

”Oi shitheads! Get back to work or I’ll rip your balls off!”

”Balls? What kind of balls Sanji-san? Is it Christmas soon?” asked Chimney with faked innocence. Because if anything that’s one thing she wasn’t, thanks to living with the loud-mouthed Kokoro. But of course, it fooled Sanji every time.

”Oh my love forget about them” said the cook leaning in with a little smile. ”Would you like to come and help me with those heart-shaped snacks?”

”Of course!” chirped the girl, pointing at the pumpkin-shaped cookies the blonde just finished decorating ”Can I have one of those? Pleeeeease?”  
Luffy noticed the little thumb-up the girl gives him behind her back while the cook was handing her one. The black-haired guy’s stomach automatically growled but he ignored it. As long as Chimney could keep the cook distracted, he needed to take his mind off whatever it was for a while. He flashed a smile and winked at her as Sanji took her behind the bar.

”You’re up to something” whispered the long nosed man almost inaudibly, hoping Luffy didn’t hear and wouldn’t drag him into whatever they were doing.

”Hey Usopp.”

The engineer dropped his shoulders. It was almost scary that this guy who looked around ten years old spoke up when you were thinking about him.  
Slowly raising his head and looking at Luffy’s maniac grin he couldn’t believe the guy didn’t have some hidden talent for mindreading. He knew first hand that it meant trouble – adventure, as the black haired guy called it and glorious mess was what other’s named it at the very least it would be a long run and a headache.  
Sweat was beading on his neck.

”Luffy noo…” he whispered, holding his hand up to hide his mouth from the cook. ”I don’t think Sanji would appreciate it if…”

”Sanji!” shouted Luffy all of a sudden. ”My favorite hotdog-stand is here, can we have a break?”

The cook’s whole body jerked the mention of junkfood, like he was hit by electricity. But he only waved his hand.

”As long as you’re not eating the food for the party I wouldn’t care even if you ate ratpoison. Get the fuck out you worthless idiots, but don’t stay for too long! If you’re not finished in time I’ll kick the shit out of you so hard ya’ll sneeze brown for a week!”  
Usopp – poor, overtormented Usopp – was running outside as fast as his legs could go. But the supposed hotdog-stand was nowhere to be seen.

”Where…?”

”Nowhere. I needed a good reason to get out so Sanji wouldn’t hear us.”  
Usopp shook his head. His hearing might’ve gone bad. Because this kid couldn’t lie to save his life. The last time he tried – when Nami asked him about her missing caramel filled chocolate eggs in high school – the boy’s voice had pitched an octave higher and he couldn’t look in her eyes. Luffy leaped out of the shadow of the building and the rim of his hat finally drew back enough to see his face. Which, even by the best intentions could only be described as beet red.  
The brave captain Usopp let out a breath and wiped his forehead. Now he could be sure that he hadn’t ended up in an alternate universe by some mysterious accident, where Luffy’s vegetarian, Zoro knits handkerchiefs and Nami likes country music. That’s a relief.

”So? What was that.”

”Shhh! Do you remember Zoro asked us to act like we don’t know him in front of Sanji?”

”Yeeeah…? I still don’t understa-”

”He wants it to be a surprise!” cried Luffy with shining eyes. Usopp took a step back to get out of the way of his flailing arms.”He talks about him all the time! And nowadays he’s in a way better mood than he’s been!”

Usopp had known Luffy long enough to strip the product of boy’s hyperactive enthusiasm from the blabbering, and get the correct picture from the remaining pieces.

”So” he started carefully ”Zoro and Sanji are friends.”

”Yes.”

”And Sanji does not have a clue that Zoro and us…”

”That’s right!”

”And Zoro wants to surprise him that he’s been a part of the gang for a long time!”

”EXACTLY!”

”OH MY GOSH THIS WILL BE A HORRIBLE DISASTER!” screeched Usopp with his hands laced together over his head. Luffy was boxing in the air and almost started to dance when -

”Oi! Shitheads!” Sanji was standing behind them, leaning halfway out of the door with a freshly lit cigarette in his hand. ”If you scream like that the neighbours will call the police on us” he said flicking the ash from his cigarette. ”Please let your stupidity out somewhere else, preferably far away from this restaurant. And why do you look like I just stepped on your puppy dog’s grave,”  
Usopp send a small prayer to heaven as thanks that Sanji hadn’t come out half a minute sooner than he did. In that case, they would’ve bene in deep trouble and he was sure Zoro’d chop off his more treasured parts and make him eat them as rissole. He felt the sweat bead on his skin.

”It’s no-nothing in pa—”

”Sanji! Meat!”

Sanji raised an eyebrow. ”Didn’t you just eat, you pig?”

”But Sanji’s food is the best!” declared the black haired boy, sliding inside under the cook’s arm.

”Oi!” yelled the blonde, and dropping his finished cigarette he launched in after him. ”You won’t get anywhere with flattery you shitty rubber! And don’t you DARE to touch the food... Luffy I’m warning you!!!”  
The door slammed shut, stiffling the sounds of chasing inside. Usopp slowly walked towards it, he couldn’t stop wondering about the new information he just got. For one: Zoro made this whole secret business for Sanji’s half, and two: Luffy used the same action to escape from another lie and distract the cook. Which means their captain either is a lucky idiot, or more cunning than they would all take credit for.  
Somewhere at the opposite end of the town a lonely swordsman was emptying the contents of his cabinet on the bed and scattered around the room, trying to get the better over his sudden hiccuping.

 

~oOo~

”Mmmm… you sure you wanna go…?”

Robin stroked the messy locks. The blue haired man’s voice was so sleepy and hoarse, just like always after sex. With one of his giant arms on her hips he pulled her closer and dropped his head on her stomach, enjoying her warmth.  
Robin didn’t really know if she should feel like an oversized teddy bear or more like a pillow. Even if it would be really tempting to stay like this, with the warmth of the afternoon sun on her skin and Franky at her side under the blankets – neither of them could get tired of days like this – yet a indescribable inner voice told her they’d miss some very interesting events if they’d allow for the moment.  
And Robin knew if they wouldn’t not move soon the blue haired man would fall asleep within moments, and it would be even harder to get him going afterwards.

”Mmmhm” hummed the black haired woman. ”So go get ready. You can have the bathroom first.” Then with that mischievous smile of hers she leaned forward and hissed to his ear. The result was immediate, Franky jumped up like springs were planted in his ass. Well, with him nobody can be sure about anything. The goosebumps were visibly spreading up his arm as he lifted his hands to rub his ear.

”For heaven’s sake woman! Don’t you remember the first time you did this?”  
Robin did remember, she also knew she’d have to wear bandages over her nose he’d bumped his head to it. But she wasn’t willing to apply make-up, not even for her publisher’s pleads. The purple bruise just looked too badass to hide, and who cares anyway if she writes under an alias right?

The sounds of iron squeaking and running water were coming from next door. Robin leaped out under the blankets. She didn’t spare a glance at the crumbled gown on the floor nor at the grumpy looking dragon embroidered in the silky fabric as she walked towards the wardrobe. The darkened windows made it impossible for anybody to look inside, not to mention the next neighbour was living at least half a kilometer away from them, on the hillside.  
She was discarding one dress after another when her eyes suddenly set on the one in front of her. The elegant, dark purple fabric was decorated with thin golden and silver threads. Soft black lace was covering the low neck, and the skirt was loose enough to dance.  
Yet that wasn’t the part the black haired woman was looking at, it was the tight waist. Her fingertips were tracing the smooth skin of her abdomen almost subconsciously. If her suspicions were right, she wouldn’t be able to wear this dress for a long time.  
Smacking footsteps were coming from behind her and two wet arms laced themselves around her waist.

”I like this one” said Franky, dropping his chin on her shoulder. Robin chuckled lowly, stroking the fabric once more.

”Yeah, I think I do too.”

 

~oOo~

 

”So everything is okay guys?” asked the cook, looking through his list one last time.

”Of course, Sanji-san” chimed Brook, using his most cheerful and shooting voice. The boy in front of him was visibly antsy; his wrinkled collar was poking out from under his black waistcoat, and his hair looked like he had spent the last few hours grabbing at it. And sure, the cook’s hand was already halfway to his head as he was letting out a shaky, tired breath.

”Sanji-san, why don’t you drink something and rest a little in the back office? We have at least… twenty seconds until the agreed time” smiled Brook and placed his hand on the smaller man’s shoulder. ”We’ll guard the bar in the meantime” he added, grinning.

This finally made him laugh – it would be the joke of the century if the band would drink themselves under table before the party. The Laboon never, not for all treasure of the world would ever risk the success of the performance, vowing prohibition until the end of the last song. So they ate as much sweets as they could to deal with the alcohol deprivation.  
Of course Sanji’d taken care of their needs too. Several plates of warm, delicious smelling brownies and cookies were stored in the back office, with two large cartons of milk.

How could somebody drink so much milk like the guy with the afro does was beyond him. He waved to the band and rather than going to the office he went for the kitchen instead, to sit on the stone steps at the back of the restaurant a moment later with a freshly lit cigarette and a cup in his hand, which by a single glance could be said was containing the most poisonous coffee in the world. There was hardly any time to rest, and his legs were already taking him towards the changing room which lead to the centuries old, small, but clean shower.  
He barely rinsed the shampoo out of his hair when his phone started vibrating on the shelf under the mirror. A message.

_”On the way!" Luffy_

”Oh shit” Sanji grumbled. The speed at which he finished showering and dressing could easily pass for an world record. He didn’t have time to dry his hair properly as he was already running towards the main hall at full speed. The sight that greeted him wasn’t any different from what he was expecting. Hooking his boney arms around himself, Brook tried to restrain a wildly fighting black haired boy from the heavily packed tables.

”Try to have a little self-respect you little fuck!” shrieked the blonde, and his shoe connected to the middle of the straw hat of the boy with merciless power.

”Sanjiiiiii… just a biiiite…” pleaded Luffy, temporarily planted into the decoration of the tiles.

”Nope” said the blond and sat on top of him without further ceremony, holding the crawling captain in place until Nami and Usopp arrived, with the quietly giggling Chopper and Kaya on their tow.

Franky and Robin were there soon, and as the rest of the guests arrived the band started as well, playing a soft background music for the greetings of long time not seen acquaintances.

People flooded the room. Sanji recognized one man with long wavy dark hair and a strange black tattoo on his chin. And the thin, ginger haired man next to him could even hold his own against Usopp in a nose competition. He also spotted a man with flaming red hair in the other end, wearing hideous colours and such a serial killer face Sanji’d almost consider calling the cops if Luffy hadn’t started to prattle him the minute he stepped through the door. The kid – no matter how often he tried to think of him as an adult, it simply didn’t seem right – seemingly liked him, and was jumping up and down in his seat while talking. The man with the white fluffy hat sitting next to him erupted in loud laughter from time to time, making the red head growl at him but the slim guy simply shrugged and relaxed back his seat.

A hand was tapping on his shoulder. He was soo deep engrossed in his thoughts he didn’t even realize Usopp slipping in next to him.

”We’ve been here for almost an hour now and I think everybody’s here. Is it ok if we serve up the starters?”

Sanji mentally face-palmed. Was it really up to Usopp to remind him of this?

”Great idea” he said and took the unlit cigarette from his lips and put it back in the box. ”Could you take a turn behind the bar for me? You can do the speech while I’m gone.”

”We’ve been planning that” nodded the curly haired guy with a cunning smile on the edge of his lips. Sanji raised an eyebrow but he decided to let it go.

”And make sure our ’Captain’ doesn’t touch anything” pointing at the hidden food under the counter.

The engineer saluted and slid behind the bar, just as Sanji stepped through the door leading to the kitchen’s corridor.  
Before he made the turn he saw the small figure in the edge of his vision, wearing an oversized bright pink hat, it slid in beside Usopp. He smiled. Usually he’d serve some salad or fruits, but the boy was pleading with him so much he just gave in and made his favourite.

Sanji was humming to himself as he placed the colourful fruit-rice cups on the trays. Besides women, children could be his second weak point, he supposed. It was enough to think of how much he enjoyed spoiling Chimney if he had the opportunity. The answer was that he did it very frickin’ much, of course.

He turned, and while balancing the trays on his arms, he headed back. The noise was getting louder and clearer, but the big, thick curtains hanging in front of the front buffet’s windows muffled everything, so Sanji didn’t have a clue who was standing on the stage.  
By the time he reached the small steps the speech was already over, leaving the guests in cheers and applause.  
Holding the trays high, the blonde stepped through the door and went to the bar to give the first turn to Usopp, but the man was looking towards the stage cheering too, not having a mind for anything else.

”Usopp what the fu---”

”Hey Cook.”

Sanji turned and almost spilled the trays over himself. Next to the wall between the door and the stage was standing… the Marimo himself.

And not just anyhow. Over the white shirt he was wearing the perfectly fitting black waistcoat which was decorated with small silvery buttons and he wore matching trousers and shoes. A necktie was nowhere to be seen and the collar was left loosely open, making a sharp contrast between the tan of the man’s skin and the white fabric.  
But the unusual outfit didn’t make him look ridiculous at all. Sanji’s mind - which suddenly ran on hyper-speed – was proving that yeah, exactly on the contrary. It was highlighting his broad shoulders, implying the defined muscles under the fabric, and – Sanji couldn’t stop his thoughts in time before they reached it – the perfect ass too, he supposed.

Not like he had anything against the faded jeans he usually wore, but… but what?!  
Before he could take a hold of his imagination, it was already entertaining him with at least three different pictures of the possible sight…  
The green haired man’s hands were in his pockets, an off-handed feeling radiating from his body language, like if he was asking: ”Whazzup?”  
Not like there was any chance he’d get acceptable answers anytime soon. From the shock which short-circuited the blond’s brain, ther could as well be ”Out of Order” or ”Maintenance Needed” written on his forehead. By the way, maintenance…

But Zoro visibly enjoyed Sanji’s reactions, judging by how his cheeky grin spread to a full, predatory smile, revealing the short, sharp looking teeth behind the stretching lips. The cook felt all the heat in his body was rushing to his face…

Somewhere in the back of his mind a ironical voice started to giggle maliciously. The one question which was able to get through the block in his mind was how did the marimo end up h ---

”Sanjiiiii” screeched a high-pitched voice and something slammed to the swordsman’s back so hard it made him tumble over, right at the very edge of the blonde’s personal space. First it was the straw hat what appeared above the green haired man’s shoulder, closely followed by a black mop and grinning face. ”Surpriiiseeee!”

The blonde blinked. ”Luffy…? Ho---”

”It was all Zoro’s idea!” grinned the boy, lacing his arm around the other’s neck. ”We already knew him before we met you!”

”He left on the day before you arrived and met us” mumbled Usopp, trying to get over the laughter shaking his shoulders.

”You were in this too Usopp?” turned the blonde.

”Yes, he was responsible to get you out of here and signal us when he could come in” grinned Luffy.

”And now, shake hands as big boys do!” laughed the engineer, trying to hold it together.

Sanji, really didn’t have any clue where the long nosed guy got his sudden courage, but the words got stuck in his throat when he noticed that the marimo was really offering his right hand to him! Sanji held out his too, trying to resist the sudden urge to whipe it on his trousers. He was now too aware of how sweaty it was. That dumb smile was still on the other man’s face and he seriously had no idea of how he could’ve he thought it was goddamn sexy only a few minutes ago…

”Oh Sanji-kun you’re here!” said a high-pitched voice and blue wavy hair was flowing in the line of his vision, grabbing his offered hand. He had to blink before he realizes what was happening.

”Vivi-chan?”

”Yes Sanji, it’s only us” Nami was practically purring as she stepped beside the blue haired girl. Anyone with the slightest shred of common sense would smell trouble and started looking for an escape route right now. Expect this dumb, distracted cook of course.

”Would you mind if we… kidnap you for a little while?” She winked, and slowly dragged her hands up over the blond’s chest as she pushed him towards the door.

”What? I dont ---”

”Please Sanji-san” whispered a third voice behind Nami’s back. It was Kaya, her face shyly turned towards the floor, her big blue eyes pleading with him.

Sanji gave up. And who was he anyway to decline three such beautiful women who were only looking for his company?! He was sure the ladies would open up soon anyway, and his lucky star could shine too – but that it was going to be a night like this, that he wasn’t prepared for.  
”Anywhere you want me ladies!” he said turning to Vivi, following her blindly while she was dragging him by the hand, so he couldn’t see the wink and smirks Nami and Kaya shared behind his back.

 

~oOo~

”Just one more Sanji-san, for me!”

Sanji hesitately took the glass from Kaya and moved to clink it to hers, nearly missing it. His head was buzzing nicely, and the room had started swaying one or two drinks ago.  
The cook knew he was a horrible lightweight, and if he wanted to avoid more embarrassing situations – there had been already more of them than he would’ve liked – he needed to stop, now.

”Nami-swa---” he started, holding up his hands to protest – or apologize – but the red haired goddess currently kneeling in front of him brought a new glass to his lips and tilted it.

”Cssss Sanji-kun, you don’t want to disappoint me do you? Or should I take it that you don’t love me anymore?” she whispered, pursing her lips over the side of the rim.  
This was working, the blonde was swallowing the drink down so fast Kaya was sure the motion almost reached the speed of light. She was waiting for the sound of detonation, the sign when the rum was hitting his stomach.

Nami hid her face behind her hand and muffled a chuckle. Maybe she could hide the evil grin spreading on her face but she couldn’t do anything with the sparkle in her eyes. Thank gods Sanji was way behind the point of noticing things like these.  
If only all her plans would go this smoothly. Vivi was already stepping behind the chair, with a glass of caramel brown liqueur in one hand and on the cook’s shoulder was the other.

The red head was really satisfied with the way things were going. She’d needed many parties to figure out which drinks made the cook drunk as fast as possible but without getting him sick. And right now was the meaning and the reason behind of their actions. She winked at the blue haired girl and focused all of her attention on the blond.

”Sanji-kun” she said and she moved her hips just enough to catch the cook’s attention. She leaned closer to his face. But the blond’s vision was so unfocused at this point that she had to take his face between her hands to make him look at her. When the blue orbs found the low neck of her dress she let out a relieved sigh. This was a good sign, saying they were on the right track.

”Sanji-kun” she repeated, raising his chin a little higher. His eyes more or less found hers. Great.

”Sanji-kun” whispering, she stroked his face with her fingers ”do you know what mad bride-dance is?”

 

~oOo~

”Pull his head over it Vivi! Wait wait don’t pull it down jet, his face and the panties have to be visible toooo and ---done!”

A satisfied smirk pulled on Nami’s face as she examined the photos on her phone. The perfect blackmailing material, and she’d kick herself if she’d let an opportunity like this slide through her fingers. She’ll send them to her home server immediately, and to other secret places no one else knew about. The one time when Zoro destroyed her previous phone to get rid of similar embarrassing pictures was enough to make her learn from her mistakes.

”Will this be good enough Nami? What do you think?” There was enough excitement in Kaya’s usually shy voice to make her grin spread even wider. She looked at the result with critical eyes while tapping her chin with her phone.

”Na-Nami-swan…”

Nami ignored the small whine coming from the man and continued her mustering. Truth be told, they did a very excellent job. Even if the dress was a little baggy on the cook’s slender frame. Did he lose weight since last time they met? Better to take a note for later, just to be sure.  
But it was nearly unbelievable how the pink and frills suited him so WELL. The make-up made his features more feminine, and despite the slight drunken wobble he was wearing Iva’s red high heels with such calm confidence like he was born to wear them. Even she would be jealous, if a) the show wouldn’t be as great as it was, and b) it wouldn’t be her idea in the first place. She watched as Vivi, holding the skirt up, brought the pink frilly panties over his underwear. The rubber slapped at Sanji’s waist, making the red faced man jump a little and bringing the edge of the skirt down to his knees, giggling.

Oh my, can this be even better?

”Shouldn’t we… shave his beard?” whispered Vivi uncertanly.

”…No. It’s so much better like this.”  
The red haired woman considered something for a moment, then smiled again.

”Give him the wig too.”

 

~oOo~

The dance floor was almost full now. After Usopp and Franky had moved the tables further to make more room for the dancers the blue haired man grabbed Robin and joined the mass.  
The Laboon did their best too, Zoro had to admit, not leaving his position next to the food for a minute.  
Twenty minutes ago after a short, but vicious fight he was able drag Luffy from the meat.

The green haired man couldn’t be more grateful that beside Sabo Nami invited Dadan and Garp as well, even if the older man was only good for entertaining people at their table rather than keeping his grandson under control.  
Maybe they would do until Nami gets back again and takes her usual place as main trainer.

Just as if sensing his thoughts the red haired woman entered the room. Sneaking near the walls. All alone, without any blond or blue haired companions. Knowing the person in mind, it seemed reasonable enough for all people of the earth to say: Suspicious, clearly suspicious!  
The swordsman furrowed his brows, making the wrinkles deepen on his forehead. What was going on here? Where the heck was the cook? And what was the crazy witch planning?!

Zoro watched her sneaking up the edge of the stage and give Brook a thumb up and wink when he noticed her arrival.  
The man nodded, and after the last tunes he lowered his violin and leaned to the microphone.

”Ladies and gentlemen, please give us your attention, we have an announcement!”

”Wohoooo” shrieked a voice from the audience ”congratulation to the baby Robiiin!”

”Save it for another time Yosaku, that’s not it.”

There was a disappointed ’Aaaah!’ from the audience, closely followed by low chuckling. Nami quickly took hold on the mic before the conversation could go any further. Clever girl. Knowing Franky’s perverse personality she just saved half of the night with her quick reaction. But the mumbling was still going thanks for the alcohol. Zoro rolled his eyes. It’d better to be quick before his brain leaked out his ears from boredom, and those sweet, lonely liqueurs on the shelves don’t drink themselves. Oh, here it goes.

”…and even if it’s a wedding tradition, I’m sure you1ll all enjoy this special ocassion! Here he comes then… the Mad Bride!”

The what?

But before he could think about it again the door next to the bar banged open and Vivi hurried out, dragging a blonde figure behind herself… Kaya? But why did she change to pink all of a sudden? What was going on?  
And behind the figure there came… another Kaya? She was laughing and pushing the first towards the middle of the dance floor.  
The fuck was this? He’s never seen this blond chick befo---  
But the music started again and the unfamiliar woman started to dance. The people on the dance floor were whopping and chairs scraped the floor as others hurried to join in.  
The music was changed to a more upbeat tune as more and more people were jumping in the circle to dance with the Bride. When the wall closed behind the new volunteer Zoro was able to take a good look at the Bride’s face over their shoulders.

…Cook?

Sanji’s face was on fire and it was easy to tell it wasn’t only from dancing.  
His movements were too wide and unpredictable, and he was laughing at everybody like a frog in a glass of champagne . And talking about alcohols, Zoro was the right man to state that the amount working in the cook was a lot. Not dangerously much, thank the heavens.

”What the hell did you do with him?” yelled Zoro in her ear, trying to fight the volume.

”Do you like it Zoro?” grinned Vivi on his left, clapping with the crowd.

”Go and find out yourself!” yelled Nami, and slapping a hand to his back, she pushed him to the middle. The man who was dancing with Sanji let him go and twirled the cook into the swordsman’s arms.

The crowd erupted in cheers. The blond curls shifted and for a moment two dilated, impossibly blue eyes were looking into his. And for that one, confusing moment it seemed like that was the first real colour he’d ever seen in his life.  
And the world suddenly started to move.  
Like really.

Sanji took the lead, and by the time Zoro got to his senses he was over the first twirl. He needed only one look to realize the blond was messing with him, even in this state, drunk to the yellow earth and dressed like a fucking Disney princess.  
Well two can play this game!  
The swordsman grabbed his left and entwined his fingers, and placing his right around his waist, brought him closer.

Robin was mesmerized by the sight.  
Those two were already dancing for a whole minute, completely lost to the world and nobody, nobody was stepping up to take them apart either.  
the sight was almost… speaking for itself.  
Suddenly a brilliant idea formed in her head, and scribbling some notes on it she slid a napkin in front of Brook.  
The musician’s eyebrows shoot up on his forehead and nodded to her, grinning. The tunes were changing smoothly into the next song.

„So she said what's the problem baby?  
What's the problem I don't know  
Well, maybe I'm in love  
(Love)  
Think about it every time  
I think about it  
Can't stop thinking 'bout it”

It turned out to be a better idea than they were expecting it to be, when more people shrieked and grabbed the other’s arms next to them.  
The strangest and loudest couple was Dadan and Garp without a doubt, doing traditional Russian dancing to the light pop song, successfully distracting people from the other pair. Robin smiled. Those two were pretty deep into their own private world, completely forgetting about reality around them.

„How much longer will it take to cure this?  
Just to cure it ’cause I can't ignore it if it's love (love-)  
Makes me wanna turn around and face me  
But I don't know nothing 'bout love!”

Sanji’s spine arched as Zoro tilted him back. The swing was too fast and the swordsman had to entwine his arms around his hips to keep him from falling. But Sanji didn’t seem to mind it at all, and let his head fall back, grinning.  
The green haired man’s eyes followed the long blonde curls, as they slid aside slowly, agonizingly slowly, revealing the long, white neck, inch by inch.  
He felt his adam’s apple bobble against his throat.  
From the far corner, his mind recognized that a long leg clutched to his own. The green haired man’s heart was racing when he felt the high-heel dragging up his leg, wrinkling his trousers.

 

_"Come on, come on,_   
_Turn a little faster!_   
_Come on, come on,_   
_The world will follow after,_   
_Come on, come on,_   
_’Cause everybody’s after love ~"_

 

The world was speeding up again until it became a blurred mass of colours. The cook twirled and spun, dancing faster, back into his arms with each turn. His breath smelled of sweet rum, and warmth was radiating from his body under Zoro’s hand as he dragged it down his back.

_"_   _So I said I'm a snowball running -_ _  
 _Running down into the spring that's coming all this love_  
 _Melting under blue skies belting out_  
 _Sunlight shimmering love"__

 

The rhythm suddenly changed and the lead slipped from Zoro’s hands. It got him unprepared enough to let himself lead and they danced to the other side of the room. Looking at the cook’s face he knew immediately what was going on. The little mocking laugh in the perfect blue eyes lit electric sparks along his spine.

 

_"Well baby I surrender_   
_To the strawberry ice cream_   
_Never ever end of all this love_   
_Well I didn't mean to do it_   
_But there's no escaping your love, oh"_

 

Damn Curly-brow. Even now, dressed as a woman and half-drunk he couldn’t stop himself from making fun of him somehow. But if anything, he’d never backed away from a challenge, and he didn’t plan on starting now.

 

_"These lines of lightning_   
_Mean we're never alone,_   
_Never alone, no, no_

_Come on, come on_   
_Move a little closer_   
_Come on, come on_   
_I want to hear you whisper_   
_Come on, come on_   
_Settle down inside my love"_

 

What came after this could hardly be described as dancing, more like a battle of passionately moving hips, hands and legs as they pushed and pulled, trying to get further and closer to each other at the same time.

 

_"Oh, come on, come on_   
_Jump a little higher!_   
_Come on, come on -_   
_If you feel a little lighter!_   
_Come on, come on_   
_We were once upon a time in love_

_We're accidentally in love_

_Accidentally in love_

_Accidentally!_

_I'm in love, I'm in love,_   
_I'm in love, I'm in love,_   
_I'm in love, I'm in love,_

_Accidentally ~_

_Come on, come on_   
_Spin a little tighter!_   
_Come on, come on_   
_And the world's a little brighter_   
_Come on, come on_   
_Just get yourself inside her_

_Love… I'm in love.”_

 

Reality crashed down on them in loud cheers from the crowd around them.  
They were both panting, sweat glistening on their necks and foreheads. They were standing so close the cook’s lean body was flushed against his, one leg between his thighs, making the dress roll up enough to leave much more skin on display than was socially acceptable.

And the swordsman’s palms were itching to touch it. The fantasies of how wonderful it would be if he could just trail them up on his deliciously long leg, feeling the strong muscles under the slightly flushed skin and slide under the robes of the pink fabric, were already rolling in his head.

The pull startled him out of them. Somebody, somebody who he really didn’t care about was pulling Sanji from him by the arm. The music started again.

The blonde flashed an apologetic smile, what, for an unknown reason, made his heart skip a beat as he backed away to dance with a skinny looking, tattooed, black haired guy.

Was it only Zoro’s imagination or had the cook’s hands really clenched a little harder to his back before he gave in to that man? Was it because he didn’t want this… whatever it was, to stop either?  
Had his world reduced drastically too when they were nose to nose seconds ago?  
Was he thinking of moving f---  
\---fffuck. He ran a hand through his hair and down his neck. He was tired. He needed some air. And booze. Or both. Preferably fast.

He took a step towards the bar and froze, eyes widening. This couldn’t be real.  
The swordsman turned on his heel and walked in the other direction, where he felt fresh air coming from. He opened the bathroom next to the exit and went into a free cabinet. Once it was locked behind him the green haired man leaned against the wall and ran a hand over his temple and eyes. Then glanced down.  
His trousers were uncomfortably tight in his half-erect state. Thank god and the material it wasn’t very obvious.

He’d enjoyed that dance more than he thought and was supposed to.  
The swordsman let out a breath and felt it’s warmth on his palms. This is the dumbest shit that had ever happened in the history of shittyness.  
… and now he just used the cook’s favourite word twice in one thought. Damn he was a bad influence. And thanks to him, he’s fucked up, greatly.

He could shrug it off as an accident, and pretend this never happened. Men could get hard from almost anything right? By a good fight, from the warmth on the bus or train, so it could just be from an intense dance too, right?  
Right. Also wrong. He wasn’t dumb enough to lie to himself.

The stupid blonde was attractive. He was attractive in many ways, from his body to his prissy personality and dirty mouth which made his blood boil many times. And even if he didn’t know him for long, Zoro would’ve found himself wanting to make him smile and was looking for his company, as strange as it was. It may sound pretty normal to ordinary people, but not for him.  
It’s nothing wrong with being withdrawn, and even if he wasn’t a loner he had never really sought anyone’s attention or presence or opened up this fast. Luffy was the only one he let this close, but they have been friends for years. He had also never seen anybody who could resist that boy.  
And this man just walked in, as if the walls he used to keep the rest of the world out weren’t there.

He had a best friend.  
Now he had a best friend who gave him a hard on.

The swordsman let out another sigh and glanced down again. First things first, thinking too hard has never really lead him anywhere. Should he jerk off right here and now? Or could he just wait until it went away? If he messed up his best – and only – suit trousers then it would be pretty obvious to everyone what he was doing in here for this long.  
Maybe some fresh air would be helpful.  
He step out the cabin but halfway to the door it opened and Robin entered.

”Oh, bushido-san. Are you – she glanced at the woman’s figure on the door - lost again?”

Zoro grumbled something and passed her as fast as he could, clearly hoping the woman’s sharp eyes missed his current state, and hoping the soft chuckle behind him was for his famous sense of direction. The swordsman would gladly admit it this time.  
The wind was chilly outside. The temperature must have dropped at least to 5 degrees Celsius since they arrived, and people who were outside, watching the night sky could feel the creeping steps of winter behind the beauty of late autumn.  
Zoro dropped himself on the bench next to the entrance. The cold felt pleasant against the heated skin of his neck. He closed his eyes and tried to clear his head. The music and cheering were slowly fading in the background, and the sounds of the night got louder and clearer as his ears focused on them.

”Oi marimo, don’t fall asleep here!”

The swordsman jumped in his seat. Next to him stood a very real, very ominous blond, a freshly lit cigarette rolling between his fingers. His face was still a little pink, but he’d changed back into his usual suit and let the last two buttons of his shirt open. The wind picked up again, tousling the blond locks. He brought the cigarette up, wrapped his lips around it and took a drag. The half-smile he was looking at him with didn’t even vanish.  
Zoro’s Adam’s apple bobbed at the sight and he immediately cursed himself for it.

”Did you hear me?”

The blonde grabbed the armrest and leaned forward with such élan only drunk people are capable of, and leaned in his space. The sudden closeness made the green haired man jump and lean back a little. The cook’s breath danced on is his face – it still smelled sweet from the alcohol. The swordsman couldn’t place what it exactly was, and his curiosity demanded him to find out, preferably immediately.

”Earth to Marimo planet! Hello, did you get lost in there??” He poked Zoro’s forehead with his index finger then broke down in laughter, like it was the best joke he’d ever heard in his life.

”Shut your drunk blabbering mouth cook, I only needed some fresh air. I’ll go back soon.”

”Okkkay moss-man!”the cook said and stepped on the butt. ”Don’t freeze your ass off here for too long.”

The swordsman opened his mouth to shoot back when he felt long slender fingers in his hair as they scratched his scalp. The air hitched in his throat and his first reflex of smacking the hand away was closely followed by the awkward need to bury his face into the cook’s hand. His fingertips were cold, but the centre of his palm felt comfortably warm and inviting.  
Then the moment was over just as it came and the doors closed behind him with a soft creek.  
Zoro let out the air he was still holding in and ran a hand through his own hair, down to his neck. The skin there still itched for Sanji’s touch.

”I’m completely fucked, aren’t I?”

 

~oOo~

”Is everything alright, Sanji-san?”

The blonde looked at the musician. Brook was watching him with curiosity, his eyebrows arched high on his temple.

”Yes. Yes, of course, why?”

He swallowed his chocolate muffin and pointed a finger at him.

”You keep squeezing your right hand and wipe to your waistcoat from time to time. Did you get hurt?”  
Sanji looked at him puzzled and examined his palm.

”I… dunno. It keeps itching or… more like tingling. But it’s not that unpleasant.”

”Hmm. For how long has it been feeling like that?”

The cook looked at his hand and wiggled his fingers again. His brows furrowed in thought.  
”Can’t remember.”

”Well, alright then, if it doesn’t hurt. But go ask Chopper-san if it gets uncomfortable.”

Sanji nodded and headed toward the tables. The night went on, with laughter and much more booze and bickering, but the blond didn’t mention the itch to anyone. Even if it didn’t seem to be fading soon, he didn’t mind. It was a warm feeling, anyway.

 

\-----

**TBC**

**also all hail to my awesome beta/edit,** **[sunshinesthroughtheclouds!](sunshinesthroughtheclouds.tumblr.com) **

 


	10. Chapter 10

 

**Chapter 10**

 

**Usopp:**   _And here they are, our beloved Shrek and Fiona._

**Tony Tony Chopper:** _Whaaat? It's Zoro and Sanji…_

**Usopp:** _Because Zoro is the big green meathead and Sanji is the trashing/dashing princess :D_

**Franky:**   _Whahahaha awesome picture Longnose-bro! *thumbs up*_

**Nico Robin:**   _You sure you wanna leave that note?I bet Sanji'll see it sooner than later, and he knows your address. You may want to hide your sharper kitchen utensils. But I'm sure he can be deadly even with a spatula too._

**Usopp:**   _…_ _ugh "_ …_

**Nami:**   _Don't worry Usopp, I'll arrange everything. You'll have a beautiful funeral… if I'm in your last will of course. Otherwise I know some good places where your dead body won't bother anybody._

**Nico Robin:**   _The police keep a close eye on the river nowadays, they'd find him in no time. but winter is coming, so it might take three or four days, also the pollution and the fishes would help to make the police's work harder with identifying the body._

**Franky:**   _Ugh I really didn't need this image… But knowing Cook-bro, I doubt our paparazzi friend would make it to the river…_

**Kohza:** _?_

**Franky:**   _Just think about it, he'd hate to let so much good meat go to waste… I wouldn't be surprised if there would be a new treat on next day's menu!_

**Nami:**   _Uuuuugh…_

**Kohza:** _Iiiiii think Vivi just ran to the bathroom…_

**Tony Tony Chopper:**   _?_

**Nico Robin:**   _I love you 3_

**Monkey D. Luffy:**   _Somebody said meat? OqO_

**Usopp:** _…_ _I-I think I'll just delete the comment…_

**Sanji Blackleg:**   _Late._

Sanji rolled his shoulders and waited for the effect of his cryptic comment with a devilish smile on his face. Usopp wasn't so hard to scare (more like not at all) butvery entertaining. He could almost see the engineer's eyes popping out of his head as he painstakingly tries to find an escape route out of his so imagined death threat..

The cook couldn't get enough of this game,just like everybody else. Expect Chopper, he was too innocent, and Luffy, who was as clueless as always. But he could scare the shit out of all of them, without even trying.

He's really lucky anyway they are in a private group where no one else can see these photos.

The page informed him about a new notification with a low  _'ping'._  The cook scrolled down to enjoy Usopp's panic, but…

**Roronoa Zoro:**   _With those eyebrows I'm not surprised he doesn't want to be shown on any photos._

_The cook felt the blood flare in his veins._

**Sanji Blackleg:** _Being jealous marimo? At least I have something on me pleases other's eyes, and anyone can see I'm alone with that on this!_

**Roronoa Zoro:** _So that's why there are no pictures of your food then._

What happened after this not only made deleting the comments, but removing the whole picture from the group's page easy. It was a perfect escape route for the engineer (who secretely pledged his undying loyality to the swordsman from the bottom of his heart). The distraction turned out to be so efficient he was even able to delete the whole album, because the two idiots continued the show, jumping from one picture to the other, giving free entertainment – and gossip material – to the other members. Thanks the gods – and Vivi's skills – the pictures reached everyone privately and safe.

Time seemed to speed up after Halloween, and before people could lose themselves in the pretty colours and gentle warmth of late autumn, winter approached the town with all its ferocious windstorms and nasty rains. However, after a few days– which seemed like years for the most of us – the rains turned into thick snowfall, and at the middle of November the frost grew to big fuzzy balls of snow on the tree branches.

The cook knew howto spend these days: at home, sprawled out on the couch under his favourite blue blanket with fish and starfish pattern – a gift from the restaurant staff for his 12th birthday. Not like he had any other choice, since Zeff – healthy and buzzing from the unburned energy – literally threw him out of the Baratie, saying he'll scare the guests who hadn't already abandoned the restaurant under his charge away too with his pasty yellow, crappy face.

However, Zeff may have meant this: "Good job kiddo, you can leave now, go get some rest."

Not like it prevented them from throwing some half-hearted insults to each other within hearing range of half the town. They were already familiar with their bonding rituals anyway.

Sanji sighed and closed his eyes, letting his head drop on the pillow. His morning coffee was still drumming in his system when he got home, so with sleeping out of the question he made a hot cocoa and got under the blanket with the first book he found in his hands. It wasn't that bad since he'd a bad habit of leaving them read halfway. Once it occurred to him that he may bedoing tis so the fantasy world could exist a little longer if he leaves it like this.

Well, whatever. He was hoping the caffeine would work out faster if he gets lost in the story.

 

~oOo~

The cook sighed and massaged the bridge of his nose, his other fingers drumming on the cover. He couldn't get hold on the story. The cocoa was long gone, and his back started to protest in the meantime, and despite his blanket and fluffy socks his feet felt like ice.

Sleep seemed like a good choice, but what the fuck will he be doing all the week at home?!

The beeping of his phone solved the problem momentarily. Sanji turned, looking for the source of the sound and frowned when he spotted it on the kitchen counter. So freakishly far away. And the thought of placing his barely warming feet on the cold floor was appaling.

It could be as high-tech as it wants to be, but Sanji doubts his smartphone will make his dreams come true by growing legs and coming to him on its own.

The blonde pulled the edges of the blanket tighter around himself and rolled off the couch, working his way to the kitchen. When was the last time he did anything like this? Probably never. He'll have to examine his surroundings for the source of the bad influence. Yes, he'll do that.

 

_1 New Message_

**Marimo Mossman:** _Ey curly! How are you working this week?_

The cook raised an eyebrow.

**Curly:** _Yo fuckface! I'm off. Zeff is back and sent me home. You should've seen it, Napoleon was nothing compared to that entering._

**Marimo Mossman:** _I can imagine from your stories about him. So you're free after tomorrow?_

Sanji decided to deal later with the small tremble in his stomach and threw himself at his keyboard.

**Curly:** _Sure. Where do you plan to go marimo? Are you afraid of getting lost and having to wait until spring for the gardeners to find you? :D_

**Marimo Mossman** _:… you know I won't even try to understand this. It's about the kids. Part of the price is a group tour to the amusement park, and I need somebody help me keep an eye on them so they can't do enough damage to ruin the place._

Sanji was grinning. It wasn't hard to picture the pack of pre-teenagers on a sugarhigh torturing the unlucky guy. It'd look like this: an exhausted marimo with a red face trying to keep his grip on three wildkid, with a crying baby on his left arm, another sitting on his leg and afeeding bottle between his teeth.

The blond burst out laughing and then wiped the drops of saliva off the phone's screen.

**Curly:** _Aaaaw, and here I thought you missed me. Don't pique my interest for nothing mosshead._

The answer took longer than usual and the cook started to panic.

Oh shit.

Maybe he went a little too far. Did he? It'd be better if-

**Marimo Mossman:** _…_ _I don't have a taste for anything in the fridge. Shit cook, looks like you spoiled my stomach._

Sanji's grin spread dangerously close to his ears.

**Curly:** _Should I take this as my food is fantastic and you can't live without it anymore?_

**Marimo Mossman:** _Like I'd ever say anything like that. Mmmmm instant ramen!_

**Curly:** _Don't you dare!_

The sky slowly turned dark outside and thick flakes of snow started falling. It was far into the afternoon when his stomach growled, expressing it's grudges over missed lunch. The cook sighed; his back and limbs popped as he stood up. He placed the phone on the countertop and glanced back at the spot where he'd spent the last few hours on the floor, chatting with the swordsman. No wonder he was feeling miserable, there was nothing, expect the blanket between him and the hardwood floor.

Well now that he thought about it, he couldn't even recall the last time he'd missed a meal. Not to mention the last time it bothered him this little.

The rest of the day and most of the next felt like a big blurry image, and the cook couldn't really recall what exactly he did with his time. There was some half-assed grocery shopping – half of the items from his list were missing, he bought toothpaste instead of scale remover, and he didn't have a clue how baby body lotion ended up in his bag – a nonsense movie so bad he couldn't even remember the actress' face after, and he did some thinking if he should go to the gym for some hours or not.

But Friday was finally here, and the blonde was looking for a pack of children lead by – yeah, disturbing thought – the swordsman. He took off his gloves to look at his watch. It's not their fault he arrived five minutes earlier just to be sure, but with their ten minutes delay he was already standing here for fifteen minutes, and nothing makes a dude's day brighter than his balls turning into ice cubes, right?

Sanji exhaled the smoke and looked at the two burned out butts next to his feet. Maybe he should cut back a little on the smoking. By an impulsive decision, he threw this one to the floor too, and stepped on it. Thanking his lucky stars, by this time Christmas had already taken over the town, and little wooden houses were standing on both sides of the streets, offering scones, steaming hot coffee and mulled vine.

Sanji smiled at the woman behind the window. She was somewhere in her late forties, and despite the protective walls, her face was red from the chilly wind outside.

"Lovely hat" said the blonde as he retrieved his change and the steaming mug.

"Oh why thank you young man" giggled the lady and hooked a long red thread which was sticking out from under the colourful knitted hat behind her ear. "If you like it, I bought it two or three shops down the street" she leaned out and pointed to the wooden houses on the left. Sanji hadn't had a chance to find the shop the begin with – hordes of people flooded the streets in various states of shopping fever, from the hair pulling to the blood sweating until resigned accepting.

"Aaah… if it's quite far, then maybe another time. I'm waiting for somebody."

"Only three houses away. And whoever the lucky girl is, it's impossible to lose sight of a fine handsome boy like you, dear" grinned the woman. "But if it happens" she whispered, leaning further on the white-red squared tablecloth "my shift ends at 6pm." And she winked.

Sanji felt the heat spread over his neck and rise from under his scarf onto his cheeks. He was very grateful for the icy wind to blame the redness on.

Flirting with ladies was the most entertaining thing on the earth, of which he had a reputation going back for ages. On the other hand, being on the receiving side is a completely different story, and always hit him unprepared enough to make him momentarily speechless.

The lady behind the counter laughed heartedly and patted his shoulder.

"Here'ya go, boy, bring another cup to that lucky girl. Or… drink it before she gets here, you look like you need it" and with that she put another steaming cup in his hand.

Sanji was stunned for a moment, his brain completely blanc as he tried to find the proper words for the situation, but the people behind him shoved him to the side. He didn't realize how long the line had gotten while he was chatting with the lady, so it seemed best to just slide away. He nodded and the woman winked at him again, before turning her attention back to the costumers.

So that's how he ended up with two steaming mugs in his hands, but no sign of Zoro in sight.

To distract himself, he took a little sip of the rapidly cooling drink. The flavour blooming on his tongue wasn't perfect, but was enough to make him feel pleasantly warm all over again. It reminded him of overly salted chicken, burned chocolate cookies and ugly Christmas sweaters – his favourite thing of the season. Everything a large and loud family can ask for a homely Christmas. Supposing that the drunk uncle wasn't telling pig jokes to the kids and then put them in the corner.

Sanji opened his eyes and looked at the half empty mug in his hand. It was impossible for this amount to go to his head right? That sounded bullshit enough. But it still might be better if Zoro drank the other one. He can do this much for the baboon right? And in the meantime, maybe he'll check that stand down to the left.

 

~oOo~

"Okay boys and girls, let's get in line! Right here we go!"

"Zoro-san, that's the wrong way, we should use the stairs on the other end."

"… Then what are you waiting for?! Up the stairs one-two, everybody keep an eye on their partner and belongings! And if any of you try to hit me with a snowball, I'll make you do fifthy every day, until the end of the year!"

"But Zoro-saaan…"

"Of the  _next_  year."

The kids let out a terrifyed gasp. Zoro was smiling smugly inside. They all knew he'd keep his word, and that's how it was supposed to be. A teacher can be all nice and cool if he doesn't have a reputation in front of the kids. And it looks like he was able to find the golden path in between the strict teacher and cool friend.

The group had already reached the top of the stairs in the meantime, when Zoro slung the girl's bag next to him over his shoulder, and took her hand.

"Is everything alright, Koala-chan?"

"Y-yes sensei. Just… these subways are so… dark and claustrophobic."

"Don't worry now, everything is alright" said the green-haired man while squeezing her hand. "You made it! We're almost outside, see? Just focus on the light."

The girl nodded, and didn't take her eyes off of the blinding white square of the exit, and they slowly but surely made their way outside.

Just to get attacked by a full group of crazy minions.

"Zoro-san can we go now?"

"I know a faster route!"

"This way!"

"Hyaaaa Carrot if you put another snowball in my neck…!"

"Everybody stop!" said Zoro, maybe a little louder than he intended to. Yeah, he was definitely yelling.

"Problems with regulations moss-head?"

Zoro turned and a wave of satisfaction spread through him.

The second thought was however how good the blonde looked in jeans. Because goddammit. The pale grey clothing was hugging his everything just right enough, showing everything – okay almost everything – his brain was lurking around the past few days. The yellow jacket was also short enough to give a lovely view of his ass. If he's lucky.

And if anything, Zoro always considered himself a lucky person. And gods be damned, he really wanted to be right now.

"Oy. I brought you something." The cook stepped closer, and came to a halt on his left, his face barely a meter away. His breath smelled spicy and sweet when it hit his face in warm puffs.

"Don't you wanna try it?"

_Sure. Absolutely. Without a doubt._

Then his eyes focused on the cup in front of him.

"Oh. Yeah. Thank you."

The blonde grinned and Zoro was grateful for the Fates or whoever invented these Christmas drinks, giving him a good enough reason to hide his face behind the brim for a while. He didn't even care about the blond calling him weak for drinking the mildly warm vine so long as if it was still steaming hot.

And the swordsman had to admit that his laughter was even enchanting than his smile.

He was fucked.

 

~oOo~

The amusement park wasn't far and as they were getting closer the kids got wild enough that they had to give them all of their attention. After a small fiasco at the cash they all made their way into the park, safe but far from sound, yet without any catastrophe.

"Bringing you along was probably my best idea so far."

"Hmm?" Sanji turned to Zoro, catching the small smile playing on his lips as he looked after the kids. With his unzipped jacket and his arms behind his head he looked like a posterboy for zen, as he slowly walked after the group. Sanji felt the familiar calmness he'd experienced once before, when he first saw the swordsman on the train, settle inside him again, fluttering gently on top of his stomach. Before he could've noticed, there was a lazy smile stretching on his lips too.

"They only reason they haven't run out of sight yet is because you asked them at the cashregister. You're good with them."

"Well it's not surprising, being with you all day they're craving human treatment, those poor creatures." Which wasn't true of course. Anyone could see they were all-over for the meathead, but he wasn't supposed to know about that.

"You know what? I take it back. You're a little shit. And why am I the one carrying this backpack? You're more fitting for these girly things."

"Oy be careful mosshead! This belongs to Koala-chan isn't it? I've seen her taking out her gloves earlier. Do you want to break something, you inconsiderate fuck?" huffed the cook as he put the pale pink, My Little Pony backpack on without hesitation.

„I was totally right."

"Huh?" asked the blonde.

"It fits you."

"Do you think there are goldfishes in this park?"

"…Why?"

"I just need to know in how little pieces I should chop you to feed you to them."

"Oooh" Zoro grinned "bring it on shit-cook. Do you wanna fight?"

"Won't be too long anyway. The zoo is up next, I'll just smash your face through the wall so the lions could finish what's left!"

"Then it's better if…"

"Sensei! Zoro-san…"

They both looked down. They were so into each other's face they didn't see the little boy heading in their direction until he was standing right next to them, pulling at Zoro's trousers for attention.

"Yes Timothy?"

"Can we go with that?"

Zoro looked at the direction he was pointing. The little kid train was just getting to halt at its station.

"Of course. Go, enjoy yourselves…"

"We can't go alone. And Mandy and some others are afraid they will fall out."

"Then tell them it's safe. This is all toys, they don't have anything to be nervous about."

"But you have to come with us."

Sanji lifted his hand to keep his snickers at bay.

The mosshead let himself be dragged to the little train.

"Puffing Tom" he murmured the train's name and looked at the boy. "You can't be serious" Zoro deadpanned.

"Zoro-san! Here here!"yelled a girl, pointing at the little wagon behind their backs. Sanji didn't even bother anymore to contain his laughter as the green haired man squeezed his body into the small, sea creature decorated car, right next to a small toy cannon. His face turned dark red –more deeper than the chilly weather indicated. But he still had enough dignity to shoot a murderous glare at the suffocating cook between the swirly white pillars which held the roof above his head.

"And why aren't you coming too,?

Sanji wiped the tears from his eyes.

"Somebody has to keep an eye on the rest of the troublemakers while you enjoy yourself."

He pointed behind his back to where Pepper, Carrot and some other boys were pressing their faces against the glass walls of the video game room.

"Hmph. Whatever."

"Hey. Zoro."

"Ha?" he huffed, turning in the blond's direction again.

Sanji curved his left hand next to his mouth, and raised his right above his head, bumping it twice.

"Shoo-shoo!

Zoro's eyes widened and he opened his mouth for a comeback, when the engine started and he bit his tongue, giving the cook a new reason for another laughing fit.

_Revenge._

 

~oOo~

It gave the swordsman a worse headache than he'd first thought. The cook apparently didn't get nausea on the roller-coaster, but it put a smile on his face, as big like the motorbiker's in the joke.

The merry-go-round didn't do the trick either (though the over-decorated white horses kind of fit him which was just all kinds of disgusting), and neither did the mirror room.

(By the way, the group of kids send to his rescue was totally unnecessary because the assumption of him being lost were totally untrue. It's only that the mirror labyrinth was so amazing it captured his interest for… one and a half… or maybe two hours…)

"Okay guys, next stop: The Haunted House!"

"You're joking… right?" asked the cook, looking at him a little uncertainly. _Hoops._

"What Curly, don't tell me you're scared of…"

"Zoro-san! Can we eat something first?" asked a boy next to his leg.

"That's right! Onion will faint if he doesn't eat in time!" chimed Carrot.

"I'm hungry too!"

"Me too!"

Soon the "I"m so hungryyyy!" and "Staaaarving!" cries could be heard from everywhere.

Zoro sighed and held up his hands before the whining could end him.

"Okay okay! Then let's go to the buffet! Pizza and hamburgers?"

"And hotdogs!"

"And sweets!"

"And icecream!"

"In -20C stupid?"

"It's not that cold!"

"It is!"

"Corn!"

A sharp shrill whistle hit their ears and Zoro jumped a little along with most of the kids. Sanji pulled his fingers out of his mouth.

"Okay guys, everybody take their friend's hand. Here are the rules: no running in the restaurant, neither on the way there! Otherwise no surprise, understand?"

The soundstorm died right away and Zoro watched with wide eyes as the kids got in straight line behind the blonde's back. They even lowered their voices to an acceptable level. Corruptible little brats. He, himself stayed at the end, making sure nobody wandered away.

This, as it turned out, was one of his brightest ideas, since most of the kids were so tiny they didn't reach the cook's hips in height. So, this way – and maybe with a little neck-stretching here and there – he had perfect view of… well, all the goodies on the backside. Also thanks to the long legs as well.

"I'm definitely lucky today."

"What was that Zoro-sensei?"

"Nothing Koala-chan" smiled the swordsman and squeezed her hand. "Nothing."

"You're strange today."

"Is that so?"

"Mhhm. You smile a lot. I like it."

Zoro looked up. The guy was talking and gesturing to the boys behind him, not really paying attention to where he went. Somewhere from the middle of the line a snowball flew and hit the back of his head, making him jump and do a silly little dance to prevent the cold water from trickling down his neck.

The swordsman couldn't help the edge of his mouth turning up a little.

With faked anger, the blonde pushed his way to the middle, violently looking for the culprit, making the kids scream and giggle.

"I think I like it too."

 

~oOo~

"Should I get you a hat and glasses with a fake moustache?"

"Huh?"

"Who are you hiding from?"

"I'm not hiding."

"Aha, right. No shit sir. You looked around at least six times" the blonde gestured around the room with a fry between his fingers "and that's just since we entered. And your chin is almost touching the table. I tell you, you can't be more suspicious, shitty swordsman." And with that, he put the fry in his mouth.

"I'm not suspicious."

"If there would be a lonely masseur around here he would jump on you immediately, to cure you from your back problems. And in your place, I'd try to avoid  **real**  teachers too – they would bind you to a chair to teach about straight -"

"What do you even know about straight anyway?!" the swordsman grumbled, grinning as the cook coughed violently on the food, and looked at him with big, red, watery eyes.

"You know" Zoro shrugged "with those eyebrows".

Sanji raised his visible one.

"Ok Ok right. Yeeez you're a smartass." Zoro mockingly held up his hands.

"Well somebody has to act smart at least. But as you can see, I'm a generous person, you can keep the „ass" and I'll keep the „smart" part to myself."

"Oh, so you're not interested in my ass then?" the green haired man sight with a hint of bitterness in his voice. "Too bad." Then snickered, and went back to his plate, completely missing the redness colouring the cook's cheeks and neck.

"It's a girl though."

Sanji's head snapped up.

"A girl?" he asked as his insides churned nervously for some reason. Which was beyond him of course.

Zoro raised an eyebrow. "Yeah. I know girls too. Surprise motherfucker."

"Now, who is the smartass again?"

The swordsman laughed and the odd feeling was gone. Zoro dipped his fry in the ketchup and started munching on it.

"Well yeah. I've been trying to avoid her since our first meeting. She might be here somewhere, knowing my luck." His eyes darted around again, searching for hidden danger.

Sanji leaned in. He desperately wanted to know what exactly had happened but didn't want to seem too eager. He opened and closed his mouth several times, then licked his lips and decided it'd be better turning back to his own meal and business.

"I can see you're craving for it."

"What did she do that makes you shit yourself so much?" The cook blurted out before he could stop himself. Smooth and delicate as always, the cook berated himself. But the swordsman just chuckled, which was just a little below a laugh, despite his earlier attempts to stay quiet. In the privacy of his mind, Sanji felt a little proud, and a small smile crept its way onto his face too, so he quickly looked down, feigning interest in his own food.

Zoro sighed and wiped a hand over his face.

"It's true tough" he said which made the cook look up at him "she scared me shitless." And he told him the whole story. Of how he got lost in the Haunted House years ago, and trusted this girl to help him out because of the staff shirt and nametag. And how this slightly creepy, but harmless looking little girl – the swordsman estimated her age around 17 when the cook asked if he'd gotten kidnapped by a 5 years old – sewed him into to a mummy to make him a living part of the House and kept him captive until maintenance found him.

Apparently, since the pink haired weirdo – Perona – was family with someone from the ownership, she hadn't gotten fired and they gave Zoro a free pass to the park and free meals whenever he wanted.

This hadn't eased the mental trauma nonetheless. The swordsman avoided the girl like cats do water.

The swordsman really appreciated the way the blonde tried to muffle his laughter for his sake. Of course Zoro knew how ridiculous the story was, but he still kicked Sanji on the shin under the table, attempting to save the last bits of his pride.

He let out a strangled squeak though when the front door opened with a loud bang and a girl with long pink hair marched in. She was wearing killer makeup, and despite that she just came in from the freezing cold outside she was wearing frilly lolita skirts and stockings with her staff shirt.

Sanji peeked a sideway look at the swordsman and seeing his pale features and attempt to duck his face into his food he instantly figured out everything. With a quick motion, he pulled something from his pocket and put it on Zoro's head.

"Act natural" he whispered, leaning closer.

The swordsman looked at him a little baffled, an touched the whatever the blonde just forced on his head. Yet he did what he was told and – even if he was still crouching a little – he leaned on his elbows and continued eating.

Sanji kept observing the scene at the counter. After a minute another pink haired woman strolled out from the back office and to Sanji's utter surprise, he recognized Bonney, the owner of his favorite pizza house.

"Omg is that Bonney-chan over there?" he whispered as he leaned close to the hiding swordsman.

Zoro risked a glance raising an eyebrow.

"If you say so? I have no idea what her name is but she's the owner's niece. She's rarely here though nowadays, I've heard she runs her own business now."

"Yeah, my favourite pizza house" Sanji answered, still not taking his eyes off the scene. The way the two girls were arguing and by the identical pink hairdos, he supposed that they were probably family. That'd explain a lot. The cook thought he'd already seen that uncle. He used to show up at the pizza house, casually chatting with the workers and equally creeping out them and the guests. That didn't keep them from going back however. Yes, Bonney's pizza was just that good.

The guy, could only be kindly described as… odd, with his luminously white features and burgundy red hair. He usually looked like a Halloween party captive with the identical Dracula-clothes and zigzag tattoo down his neck. When he was grinning, showing off his pointy teeth, he reminded Sanji of the Headless Rider from the end of Sleepy Hollow.

It also explained why the whole amusement park led to the Haunted House.

In the end Bonney slapped her hands on the counter and pointed towards the door. The shorter girl puffed her cheeks, flipped her long hair and stomped out, without even glancing at the costumers. The glass in the door rattled after her.

"Hey Cowardly Lion" Sanji tapped his shoulder "you're safe now."

The swordsman made a face but didn't comment on the nickname. He pulled the hat off his head and looked at the blue-white pattern.

"Yeah, thank you Queen Elsa."

The cook huffed, raising an unimpressed eyebrow.

"Really? That's the best you're capable of? At least I was creative with the Oz reference."

The swordsman leaned back and folded his arms in front of his chest. It was pretty impressive even through the large hoodie.

"I certainly wouldn't be the Cowardly Lion if we stick with fantasy characters."

"Sure, you'd be the Big Fat Dragon. The green already matches. And I'm sure the fat is already on its way with the amount of junkfood you just chugged down" the cook grinned maliciously.

"Oh I'd happily convince you about the opposite" the swordsman grinned "anytime." And winked.

The cook went red. Damn his eyebrow game was strong.

But just then, the surprise menu arrived with plates full of hot cocoa and icecream and the kids roared in cheers. The whole place stilled for a minute and then both the costumers and workers smiled, muttering about happy childhood between themselves.

It also gave the perfect opportunity to drop the subject, much to the cook's relief, giving him some minutes to calm his running pulse a little.

 

~oOo~

Despite the princess comment, the swordsman kept the blue-white hat on his head all the way in the Haunted House to hide his green hair, and stick as close to the group as possible. One for his own safety, and then because it was more entertaining watching the cook creeping out every ten minutes up close. He may or may not have caused one or two creeps.

The blonde was ridiculously jumpy even if he tried to hide it. He looked suspiciously at every cobweb and fake spider, almost expecting them to jump on him and disperse his soul. And of course, the swordsman took every advantage of his weakness, even if he was prized with some purple-green foot prints on various places on his body.

They were totally worth it though.

Zoro had a great time.

 

~oOo~

The hours flew by like minutes and before they realized, the kids were dropping down from exhaustion. They gathered the group – with two little girls half asleep in Zoro's arms and one in Sanji's – and lead them down the metro and back to the dojo, where their parents were waiting. They thanked them and drove off, leaving the two of them alone in front of the dojo. Somewhere along the way, snow had started falling again from the dark, starless sky.

"So I think I'm going. Are you coming along marimo?" The cook asked, kicking a fresh pile of snow in front of him.

Oh Zoro wanted to. But…

"I have something to finish before" he motioned toward the dojo. "Sorry."

The blond's expression fell for a moment, then regained composure.

"Oh. That's ok."

"Why don't you come in instead? It really doesn't take much time. Just some paperwork."

The blonde considered for a moment, then shrugged. He's not going to work tomorrow anyway.

They were on the train an hour later, on the way home. They didn't chat much – it was just nice to sit, leaning slightly against the other. fatigue made their bodies and minds heavy, but it was a pleasant exhaustion, the kind which leaves you smiling and makes you say stupid things.

Or not wanting to get up.

And Sanji didn't, he really really didn't. The moment – this moment – was just too good, leaning against the swordsman's shoulder.

Zoro shifted, and dropped his head on the cook shoulder, and Sanji put his chin on top of it. He needed to talk about something, or otherwise they'll both fall asleep and miss their stop.

"So, what are you doing on Christmas?"

The swordsman shifted.

"I think we're both invited to the same party" he muttered, sighing.

"26th, Luffy's place?" the cook asked. It was three weeks away from now.

Zoro nodded and straightened. The cook looked up and noticed the next stop was his.

"Okay" he sighed and got up, dusting his trousers as he did so. "See you marimo."

"Hey curly!"

Sanji turned as the train came to a halt and looked back.

"Thank you" the swordsman muttered, leaning back with crossed arms and a small smile on his face, which looked almost shy. Or maybe it was just Sanji. "You know. For today."

The cook rolled his eyes, smirking too.

"Go the fuck to sleep marimo. And you're welcome, anytime. Also drop by the Baratie sometime, I can cook you food which is actually good for you."

The swordsman's eyes widened slightly, and the smirk on his face grew to a genuine, fond smile. Sanji was grateful that the doors closed behind him and the train stirred into motion slowly, so it wasn't as obvious that he hid his glowing face in his scarf before he made his way home.

 

* * *

 

**TBC**

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for sunshninesthroughtheclouds' hard work as a beta and edit!
> 
> (I'm really not worthy v_v)
> 
> Also thanks for the many nice review/kudos guys, they all made me smile and giggle, keep on your good habit! :) *cough*itmakesmeworkfaster*cough*


	11. Chapter 11

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Christmas time, presents and fluff.  
> Zeff is the god of cockblocking. With the new year party, we’re spiraling deeper into the ZoSan trashcan.

**Chapter 11**

Well, there were perks of the chilly weather other than his blankets and comfy couches, Sanji had to admit. Others perks being blankets and comfy couches, by the way.

As the time rolled deeper into winter and inched closer to Christmas, the strawhats found themselves more and more often in each other’s company, huddled together in one of the bigger flats. Usually that meant Franky and Robin’s house, thanks to the space and the distance, this way they couldn’t piss off the neighbours either.

And oh boy, was that a relief. Because if you’ll ever have a movie night with these guys, then you’ll learn that the decibels would never go under acceptable level.

And Sanji loved it. Even if it was hecka annoying.

He hadn’t bothered to cook this time, since the whole pack had agreed about ordering pizza, and Sanji didn’t mind because it came from his favourite place. Which was obvious, since it was everybody else’s too.

Sanji glanced to the sofa he was leaning against. Chimney and Chopper were both huddled against either side of Zoro, who was absently scratching their heads while they watched Luffy and Usopp go crazy on Mario Cart.

It was really cute just how quickly the kids – the blonde still couldn’t see Chopper as an adult no matter what – got comfortable and clingy to him. The marimo was like a big gruff kid magnet-teddy bear monster.

Sanji’d been told that the guy kind of adopted the young doc as a little brother, but this was the first time Chimney had actually met the swordsman. But, it was never hard to get along with Chimney after all. Now the man was idly stroking her hair too and picking on the end of her pigtails while the girl was sprawled over the couch, her arms on the green haired man’s legs and was stuffing popcorn into her mouth.

A warm feeling fluttered in Sanji’s chest and the blonde turned with a small smile on his face.  His eyes raked over the dvd case in his hand which the little girl brought with her. She had an excellent taste, hands down. It was also Sanji’s favourite movie ever.

They all agreed on watching it while eating and as soon as the pizza arrived, they were all huddled together in front of the ”super big-ass widescreen babe” as Franky liked to call their tv, the cook put the dvd in the player.

No mistake, the pizza was awesome. Zoro was in the middle of wolfing down his second slice of pizza with chicken and a mountain of cheese. While he was already reaching for the third one a hand snapped on his. He wiped it on his trousers trying to supress the sting and looked at Sanji with furrowed brows.

The blonde was sitting beside him at the other end of the couch, and was wagging his finger at him. Then reached out and … DID HE JUST FUCKING DARE TO STEAL HIS PIZZA?! The slice he’d been eyeing for a whole  _minute_  now, it was full of mushrooms and pepperoni and… cheese…

The blonde grinned as he took a good bite from the slice and moaned, his eyes mocking him. Then he turned back to the screen and the swordsman watched as the melting cheese stretched and the cook tried to eat the long treads as fast as he could, using his mouth and tongue before they’d break and fall on Chimney’s head who was now sitting in his lap.

Zoro’s heart was hammering and he was suddenly hyper-aware of the temperature in the room. He looked back at the screen, face blank, and tried to will away his stirring erection. It was a bad thing to get a boner in public; Especially when a kid was sitting on your lap. Even if there was a – thank heavens very thick – pillow between them.

It was bad. It was unacceptable. Just like twirling cheese around tongue. And sucking fingers clean from grease. The green haired man didn’t even have to look, he heard everything and his mind was already running a late night show instead of focusing on a kids movie and THANKS BRAIN THAT WASN’T HELPING!

He tightened his grip around the bottle on his left and raised it to his mouth, but there was only a few drops at the bottom.

Sure. Just his luck.

He hesitated for a few moments then leaned forward.

”Hey Chopper” he whispered. The kid turned his head to look at him. The flashes from the screen made the top of his fluffy curly locks illuminating.

”Hm?”

”Could you… please bring me another one?” and he shook the bottle. He felt bad for pulling the kid out of the story but he… would try to avoid moving around if possible. And he desperately needed that extra beer now.

”Sure” he smiled, and sliding off Zoro’s lap he padded to the kitchen. The swordsman quickly pulled his legs from under him and was about to slide to the end of the couch – as far away from the blond as possible – but the kid was already back, clinging over the armrest and hopping down on Zoro’s left, effectively squeezing him towards the middle. Chopper passed him the beer with a smile and unzipped a new bag of caramel popcorn. Which turned to be a fatal move, because the moment the bag was torn, two very gluttonous pairs of eyes turned in his direction. Luffy was on him before he could even think of an escape. Usopp was right after him

Long story short, Zoro was pushed. Hard. Many times. Until he was sitting shoulder to shoulder with Sanji.

The cook rolled his eyes.

”Your friends.”

”Technically, they’re your friends too.”

”You knew them first.”

”Before sunrise, they are  _your_  friends.”

”What was that supposed to mean? And did you just made a Lion King reference?”

”So I did. And evening time means mealtime, so they are in your domain.”

”Too bad there are meals during the day too, dumbass. now shut up, I missed at least 10 seconds of Ratatouille due to your shenanigans.”

Zoro quirked an eyebrow and looked at the screen.

”Rat-a-what?” he asked.

Sanji turned at him, horror in his eyes.

”You haven’t seen Ratatouille before?!” he gasped.

The swordsman looked at the rat on the tv.”Never heard of it. Calm your tits princess and try not to faint.”

He watched the story for a few moment until the rat started throwing stuff in a large bowl.

”Aha. So it cooks. Everything’s clear now. Betcha this is your favorite movie” he grinned looking at the blonde, waiting for the backbite.

Sanji nodded with a totally straight face.

”Damn right.”

”Wait like for real? This is your actual favorite movie?!” Well that was unexpected.

”You should see him during Nemo” chimed Luffy in from the armrest, stuffing his face with popcorn.

”And I still wanna ’touch the butt’ ” said Sanji smirking.

”Pffff ” the green haired man snorted. ”So it throws together some fancy food yeah?”

”That is not just fancy food moron! That’s Soupe á l’oignon gratiné…”

There was a long audible sigh coming from the rest of the group and Zoro assumed it wasn’t the first time Sanji ranted about it. But it was not ending now, he was on a roll and just continued, going on and about the dishes and the kitchen and how it was compared to the Baratie, and the flow just went on and on. Somebody tried to shush him from time to time but never Zoro. He couldn’t say he understood everything – or paid much attention to the blonde’s blabbering - but he was fine with just the cook’s big goofy smile and the glint in his eye whenever he turned toward him to explain something.

He grabbed his beer and smiled around its neck as his arm absently brushed against Sanji’s on the overcrowded couch.

It was… nice.

Looks like he was going to love this Rat-a-something in the end.

~oOo~

“No way Luffy. Nope. No.”

“But Zoroooo…” the younger boy whined on the phone. “It’s a dress-up party.”

“Then I’m not coming” the swordsman replied irritated. No fucking way that he was going to wear a costume again. The last time - 3 years ago -  they had tricked him, but wasn’t gonna happen again. He’ll just give his presents after the 26th.

He was pretty sure they knew about his feelings thus why they kept quiet about the rules.

“Wha – No way everybody’s coming! And we’ll all be in costumes! It’s not like you’d be by yourself, there will be me, Robin, Chopper, Sanji and …”

“All in costumes?”

He really hoped Sanji was going in something loose, because he still remembered the last time they went ice-skating. All the graceful formations the blond had made and how the jeans wrapped around his… features.

That was cruel.

For himself, he praised his morning self for deciding to wear his long –  _long_  long – jacket for the day. It certainly saved him from embarrassment.

The swordsman shook his head, pinched the bridge of his nose and tried to concentrate on what Luffy was babbling about on the other end. After ten more minutes Luffy made him promise to come, with or without costume. Not like that much convincing was needed after the keyword had dropped.

~oOo~

“Sooo… when is the big day?”

Robin leaned further on the table, enjoying the rich aroma of her coffee. “Next October.”

“Are you sure Robin?” the dark haired man asked hesitantly. “Wouldn’t be it a little early after… you know.”

The writer smiled. It was still a little hard for Law to say ‘pregnant’ or ‘giving birth’ when it came to her. No matter that they were both in their late twenties, she was still the same girl he befriended on a Halloween Candy Hunt more than twenty years ago, and they were loyal horror movie marathon partners since then.

“Don’t worry Law. After all, I’m surrounded by excellent doctors aren’t I?”

Law folded his arms and furrowed his brows, but nodded. He wasn’t the easiest person to get along with, but Robin could not help but adore the guy . She’d learned the way he tried to hide his feelings behind half-shrugs and death-glares, but that was the way he acted. And she knew that deep down, buried under silence and sarcasm laid his loyalty to people who counted on him.

The dark-haired woman turned back to the other occupant of the table.

”It’s not too late is it? I mean I know your company is very popular.”

”Nothing is too late for the Galley-La ma’am.” The man clicked his pen on the table, hovering it over his notebook and looked at her. Well, maybe  _glared_  would be a more accurate description. The man’s eyes were just as hard as his long wavy hair, falling over his shoulders from under his fancy  hat.

There was something unsettling about him, and as a writer, she could tell he’d done things in the past other than banquet arranging and colour matching. Ever since he sat down she’d felt uneasy and gotten warning vibes from Law. On the other hand, she couldn’t help but feel some strange sort of sympathy for the guy. 

“Do you have something specific in mind about the decorations or do you plan to go with the standards?” he asked in a deep and husky tone.

She chuckled.

”Well, if I wanted to go with the standards I wouldn’t have called you, would I?”

~oOo~

The swordsman hung his jacket and stuffed his drenched hat in one of its many pockets. Then he shook his head like a dog, causing droplets flying everywhere and ran a hand through his damp hair.

White Christmas eh?

No bloody way.

It’d rained so much in the past two days it had melted every patch of snow outta there. The fluffy trees had turned dark and creepy along with the streets that had once been covered with a white blanket. The canals were overflowing and the swordsman was glad for his strong old boots which hadn’t let him down this time either. He placed them along with his other hundred pairs next to the entrance.

The room behind the next door was inviting, with warm golden light flowing through the glass and loud chattering around the edges. The swordsman braced himself for a moment, listening the noise then grabbed his bag filled with presents and strolled inside.

Nobody seemed to notice him for a moment. It was a good thing, so he had time to hide the bag before Luffy could assault it and steal all the presents. He looked busy enough though, standing in front of a table full of crisps and sandwiches, and talking to a lanky dark haired man with his mouth full of meat. He recognized him from Robin’s party. The guy didn’t seem to mind, as his mouth twitched a little upwards from time to time and Zoro was glad he was keeping Luffy busy until he found a great hiding place.

He passed by the others who were entranced by Franky’s new Saint Seiya boxing game – which was suuuuper cool, no matter what uncultured people might say – and noticed Robin was looking at him with a curious expression. Zoro put his index finger to his mouth, pointed at the bag then Luffy and made a questioning gesture with his hand. The dark haired woman seemed to understand because she smiled and nodded in the kitchen’s direction. Zoro raised his hand for a silent ’thank you’ and passed the doorway to the kitchen.

The Flam household’s kitchen was neither big nor particularly well organized, due the fact that Robin spent her time either in front of her cherished antique typewriter, doing research or with Franky, so it was unlikely to find her busy in the kitchen.

When it happened, it usually meant she was stuck, and had to keep herself occupied so her mind could wander and ’pop out’ or work on new ideas, and the fancier the food she made the more delicate her ideas became. He’d the pleasure to eat it once, and boy it was good. He’d considered it  _awesome_  at that time, but once he got used to Sanji’s standards, his opinion might have changed a little.

And Franky was usually covered in grease or having take-out food, so he was hardly ever in the kitchen either.

However the place was sparkling clean now, containing a very busy tall blond in what looked like a really unfashionable brown pyjama. Zoro cocked his head and raised an eyebrow. He strolled behind the kitchen counter and dropped his bag next to the blonde.

”Hey Cook!” the swordsman greeted.

Sanji turned, spatula in his hand.

”Hey mar-”

The swordsman let out a small „augh”, and lifted his hand to rub his cheek where the spatula had smacked it. Sanji looked at him wide eyed.

”Oh shit I’m so so fucking sorry—”

”Don’t worry it’s fine.”

”Joke it was on purpose.” He said flatly and looking at him Zoro saw the wide grin on his face. Smartass little shit.

”I’ll get you back for this shitcook.”

”Admit it, you’re just jealous of my simple brilliance marimo. But you’re free to try and spank me anytime.”

”Smack, you mean.”

”Yes. That.”

They were silent for a minute as Zoro looked at what Sanji was cooking, then looked at his clothes. He wrinkled his nose.

”What is this ugly pyjama?”

”This is not pyjama you dumbass, this my costume.” The cook turned, holding out his arms and the green haired man noticed the big colourful buttons and wavy design on the dark brown material. Then it dawned him.

”You can’t be serious.”

Sanji’s smile only widened.

”Gingerbread man.”

Zoro grunted and smacked his forehead. This was both so ridiculously dopey and endearingly cute. Zoro damned all his ancestors because something had to be really wrong with his head and that was all their fault. 

”And where is yours?” asked the blonde, looking him up and down.

”I don’t have one. I do not wear costumes.”

Sanji grinned and there was a glint in his eye that made goosebumps run up and down Zoro’s arms.

”Oooh sure you do.  If I’m a fucking gingerbread man I can’t let you get out of this. I brought something for you since I was figuring you’d be a stubborn asshole.”

He reached down next to the counter and after some bag rustling he put something on the swordsman’s head.

”Yes. It’s perfect.” Sanji grinned and gestured toward the window. Zoro looked at his reflection, and could perfectly see the mistletoe crown around his forehead thanks to the darkness outside.

”It’s mistletoe.” he said flatly.

”No, you can’t see the point.  _You_  are The Mistletoe.”

”You’re fuckin’ kidding me.”

”Fits perfectly.”

”Why?”

”Because it’s green. And you already partially a plant.”

Zoro rubbed his temples when an idea formed in his head. He might as well get back at the cook right away so, instead of ripping the crown off his head he leaned into the cook’s personal space and grinned.

”Does it mean I get all the kisses?”

Oh joy! The cook’s reaction was even better than he had expected. His eyes widened slightly, and the colour drained from his face only to return a moment later and spread over his cheekbones. He heard him taking a shaky breath as he raised his leg to take an involuntary step backwards but froze halfway into the motion.

Zoro was about to call his triumph and lean back when a sudden force slammed to his back.

”ZOROOOOOOOOOOO!!! YOU’RE HEEEEEREE!”

The swordsman stumbled forwards and caught the edge of the counter before he’d topple over and looked up.

His head was just above Sanji’s shoulder and as the cook looked down his face was barely one and a half inch from his.

Or less. More like less.

If he’d angle his head their noses could brush together. He felt his own hot breath dancing back from the skin of the cook’s neck. He straightened slowly, cautiously keeping eye contact.

The blonde was staring at him with a comical expression. Then his gaze flicked a little lower than his eyes, and turned away quickly as he licked his lips.

Zoro felt his own face heat up and looked behind his back.

”Luffy! What the fuck?!”

The black haired guy pouted. It was so false it instantly made Zoro suspicious.

”I thought you wouldn’t cooooomee…” he whined.

Zoro rolled his eyes then jumped from a loud slapping sound next to him.

”LUFFY! You little shit! Keep your shitty hands away from the dough!” Sanji shrieked -  the swordsman would swear on anything it was indeed a  _’shriek’_  -  and raised the deadly spatula again. Zoro realized what just happened – the black haired guy used him as a distraction and while Luffy’s right hand was hooked around his torso his left kept inching towards the chocolate-chip dough Sanji was working on.

The kid jumped down from the swordsman’s back and slowly backed away towards the door, holding his red hand.

”But Sanji you’re so slow and I’m so huuu---”

Sanji turned his murderous gaze toward the swordsman.

”Marimo. Take that out.”

The green haired man was able to recognize a situation where any argument was fatal. He nodded at the bag next his feet.

”Hide that for me will you.”

”Yes, just keep that bottomless pit out of my kitchen!”

Zoro nodded.

”Sure.”

~oOo~

The green haired man turned and helped Luffy out of the kitchen. Sanji watched them turn at the doorway then put his back against the counter and slid to the floor. He folded his arms around his legs and put his temple against his knees.

’Fuck that was intense.

He still could feel his drumming heart against his chest. It was beating like a fuckin’ war drum. That bastard. He doesn’t even have a single fucking idea how unfair he’s being, does he? That glint in the marimo’s eye when he leaned close with that dangerous smile made the skin on the back of his neck crawl, his stomach dropped and knitted hard enough to make his breath hitch. It felt like his brain had left the planet for a moment, and that was enough for his instincts try to make a move forward and close the distance. It felt almost like a force making his body move. Thank gods he’d been fast enough and made himself step back a little before he’d done something embarrassingly stupid.

But of course Luffy had to fuck everything up just a little more and make the seaweed bastard stumble over him. He could feel Zoro’s body heat radiating the costume and the surprised breath on his neck. He needed all his willpower not to clasp a hand over the spot.

Sanji untangled his arms and clasped his palms against his neck, trying to rub the feeling off.

 And his brain was back on the scene when Zoro trapped him beneath himself on the couch. How his body had pressed to his, the strong arms at his sides and the feeling of his knee between his legs when he tried to sit up…

Fuck Sanji felt dizzy. He tried to take deep breaths but it was impossible with curling in on himself. He stood up slowly, pouring himself a glass of water and washed his face and neck with the same cold water.

He was lusting over the swordsman. No matter how he put it – he wanted to kiss those cracked lips. He enjoyed his hands caressing his body as they danced, and his open cheerful smiles at the amusement park. He wasn’t even surprised when he once realized how often his thoughts were wandering towards him. It didn’t feel out of place but natural.

He poured himself another glass and looked at the dough for reassurance. It didn’t have any to give. But it could keep him busy until he got his thoughts in order. 

~oOo~

”See?” Robin asked Nami as they watched Zoro stroll out of the kitchen and Sanji fall to the floor. God bless mirrors.

”Oh my god” Nami gasped.

”OTP” nodded Robin with a small smirk.

”What?” Nami looked at her puzzled but shook her head. ”Never mind. But this was priceless.” she looked up at the writer. ”We should do something.”

”Not yet.”

”But why? You just saw them. This is perfect! And they are so fucking obvious!”

”That’s why” the dark haired woman whispered, and continuedn seeing the other’s baffled expression. ”Isn’t it better if we just… watch for a while? If they can work it out on their own. If not…”

Nami grinned and nodded in agreement.

”Fun times are upon us.”

”Indeed.”

~oOo~

”It’s midnight!”

The strawhats grinned as their Captain jumped from his seat. His Santa costume seemed to strain over his round stomach as he made his way toward the living room, followed by a happily bouncing Chopper and Brook on tow. It was all tradition now.

They all circled around the big and sparkling Christmas Tree as Luffy held up the first colorfully wrapped box above his head.

”Presents!”

Nobody objected.

~oOo~

”I’m not even surprised” the swordsman mumbled as he watched Luffy tear the paper off of two giant, perfectly cooked turkey hams. ”He’s having an awesome night.”

”Arent you?”

”Hm?” he looked at the blond sitting next to him on the floor, an unlit cigarette dangling from his lips. ”Sure. But look at him, he looks like you just gave him the Statue of Liberty as a playground.”

”That idea sounds dangerous.”

”So is Luffy.”

The blonde thought about it for a second, then nodded, reaching behind himself.

”Point taken. Here, this’s yours” he said, holding a small package towards Zoro.

The swordsman took the bottle away from his mouth and stared, looking at the package in the blonde’s hand. ”You got me a present?”

”No fucker I’m just trying to stab you with a decoratively composed ball of paper. Of course you have a present. Now get on with it” and he tossed it into the swordsman’s lap. The cook pretended not to look as he started opening it. He tried to take a drag from his cigarette and grunted when he realized it was still unlit.

”Wow” the swordsman breathed and Sanji turned immediately. He was holding the green fabric in his hands and the cook shrugged.

”I thought you might like it. Since, it was… green you know. It reminded me of you.” Oh god he was babbling now. He scratched his eyebrow. ”Do you know what it is?”

”A haramaki” Zoro said and grinned at him. ”Thanks blondie. It’s awesome.”

Sanji felt the heat rise from under his collar and watched as the green haired man stood up and tried on the new clothing. It was perfectly covering his midsection. And Sanji instantly hated it. Mostly because he’d spent the last ten minutes watching the swordsman’s t-shirt stretching over his abs as he was leaning back on his elbows, showing only the smallest piece of skin between the shirt and the hem of his jeans, where the light patch of happy trail disappeared. And now the damn cloth had destroyed his secret drooling time. 

”Take it off.”

The swordsman raised his eyebrows.

”What? No. I love it.”

”It’s terrible.”

”It’s awesome.”

”I want you out of it.”

”You want me anyhow.”

That effectively made the cook shut up and Zoro grinned, sitting back down. Sanji watched the others opening their presents when something poked his leg. He looked down and saw a pitifully wrapped ball in the swordsman’s hand. He looked up at him but Zoro wasn’t looking at him so Sanji took it without a word.

He unwrapped it and a choked.

There was a perfectly shaped Remy on his hand. The plushie looked exactly like in Ratatouille, from the shape of his nose to the colour of his tail . The cook didn’t know how to react – part of him wanted to laugh, while the other was simply melting away by the swordsman’s goofy thoughtfulness. His stomach twisted into a knot but it wasn’t an unpleasant feeling.

”I didn’t know if I should give it to you” the swordsman stroked the back of his neck nervously and still was looking straight ahead. ”I saw it in a store weeks ago and bought it without thinking. But later it looked so stupid and I thought you wouldn’t give me anything so I was about to leave it.”

Sanj snickered.

Zoro looked at him and saw him looking at the toy, then wrapped his arms around it and turned to him with a bright smile.

”Thank you mosshead. It’s awesome.”

”…do you…?”

”Yes, I love it.”

Zoro smiled and scratched the back of his head. He noticed that the cook still hadn’t turned away and their proximity suddenly dawned on him. Had they been sitting this close before? His arm and knee were touching the blond’s and the lights were dancing in his swirling blue eyes.

He knew he wasn’t a strategist. Nor a mind reader. He didn’t know if he could kiss him or how the other would react. But the cook looked away and furrowed his eyebrows.

”What’s with Robin?”

The swordsman sighed and turned his head to see the woman behind the couch. She was fiddling with a little box in her hands and seemed to try to relax herself by taking deep breaths.

”No idea.”

~oOo~

Robin took a deep breath and sat down on the couch next to her fiancée, passing him a small box. Franky raised an eyebrow and started to unwrap it with a small smirk. It was very well possible that due to the size of it he was expecting something… well likely not pure and probably requiring censorship for adult fun times. Why he had this expectation, was likely because of Robin’s ideas for ’good presents’.

Then he paused, looking down at his lap. It was a small onesie, with ’arms’ written on the top’s left and right side and ’legs’ on the bottom ends. In the middle it was decorated with the words ”You can do it dad!” in large black letters.

”Congrats” the dark haired woman said, leaning next to his ear ”you’re going to be a father.”

The sound that came from the blue haired man couldn’t be described other than incoherent and made everybody look up immediately. When the shipbuilder held up his gift with shaky hands, every breath was sucked in and wide eyes focused the couple. Everyone was speechless, something that had probably never happened before.

It was surprisingly Kohza who broke the sudden silence first.

”No fuckin’ way!” blurted Kohza.

”But Kohza-san, please watch your tongue, there are children in the room! And one extra as we know now! Yohohoho!” Brooke grinned and clapped his hands. ”Does this mean I’m going to be a grandfather? Can I? Even if I’m nobody’s father here?”

”Unlike one of us” grinned Ace and clapped his hand on the shipwright’s shoulder. Franky seemed to wake-up by this and looked at Robin, lowering the piece of clothing.

”Woman. Am I getting this right? Are you…?” he gestured between himself and Robin’s midsection, reddening by every passing second.

”I’m  eight weeks. You don’t have to panic, there’s is only a small chance it’s the alien. But better be careful.”

Franky’s eyes widened and he jumped up.

”I’M GOING TO BE A FATHER!! HOLY HELL I’M GOING TO BE A FATHER!!”

The whole room erupted in cheering and the shipwright shot his arms up into the air triumphantly. He bent down to pick Robin up but froze halfway.

”Can I?”

Robin smiled, nodding.

”Just try to be careful. We don’t want to squash it into a pancake.”

Franky wrapped his giant arms around her body with the same gentleness he always used to touch her and raised Robin into the air, nuzzling the side of his face into the crook of her neck. She smiled and stroked his hair, looking at the others.

”Guys, could you excuse us for a few minutes?”

They all nodded but before they could get up, the shipwright turned and padded towards the library, carrying her along.

The door clicked softly behind them and the room erupted in loud whispers.

~oOo~

The recent events hadn’t changed their plans much after all. Everybody agreed they couldn’t leave Robin behind, so they decided on leaving a month sooner than they had originally planned. With Franky’s huge trailer bus, the Thousand Sunny accompanying the Merry on the way. It would be far more comfortable for her and with two they could bring all the stuff they needed.

Luffy seemed to be jumping out of his skin since hearing the news of their new nakama, and suggested to call it ’Tiny’, which was sharply declined by a scary look of death from the expecting mother. Her pregnancy however didn’t seem to affect her’s nor the Strawhats’ lifestyle much. After all, being friends with them was already like being a mother of sorts. The only thing she admitted was bugging her was the timing, so she wouldn’t be able to drink with the others on New Years’ Eve. Speaking of New Year’s Eve, Sanji had to work of course, just like everyone else from the Baratie. Even Luffy was put in a nice clean ’penguin costume’, as he liked to call it, helping out the waiters.

The restaurant was going to be full just like every other year, and both Sanji and Zeff hated to hire extra help for the event.

Their friends were already used to this pattern, and like every year, the after-party was already planned out and fixed down for later that week. So it wasn’t a problem.

Still, as Sanji watched the guests from behind the bar, laughing and dancing he couldn’t help but feel a little down, wishing time could go a little faster so he could be part of something similar. And he actually wished for having something, just something for him on New Years’ Eve.

He looked at his watch and sighed. 11.35pm, less than 30 minutes from the end of this year. Within 15 minutes, they’ll serve up the champagne then right after the countdown the midnight special.

Everything looked to be all right now so the blonde turned to the other man next to him.

”Could you handle it for a little? I need a smoke.”

He  nodded and Sanji headed for the back exit, past the kitchen and the office. He put the cigarette in his mouth as he walked and was fishing for his lighter as he opened the back doors, then stopped. There was a figure sitting on the steps, in the small yellow circle of the lamp above the door outside. Despite the knitted hat covering his hair, the cook instantly knew who it was. He could recognize the swordsman’s figure anywhere by now.

”Wh-” Sanji cleared his throath ”what are you doing here marimo?”

Zoro looked up. The light beige hat was pulled deep down, covering his high forehead and eyebrows. He grinned, his teeth flashing and Sanji was struck of how boyish he looked. Also he regretted not lighting that cigarette already because his nerves were holding a fucking Scottish folkdance right now. 

”Waiting for you” he admitted, and turning Sanji could see two long champagne glasses dangling from between his fingers. ”Took your time, I have to say.”

”We… are having a party in there. How long have you been here anyway?”

The swodsman looked at his phone.

”For an hour give and take.”

”For an hour?! In this cold?! Are you nuts?! Come in I’ll get you some warm soup to--”

”Calm your tits, cook and sit down. I’ll have time for your shitty food later.”

Sanji felt the same hysterical shriek building in his throat like every time the damn seaweed had addressed his cooking like that, but he decided to just leave it. He lit his cigarette, took a deep drag – which clearly helped the process - and sat down next to him nonetheless.

There was a bottle of champagne between Zoro’s feet.

”So” the swordsman looked at him sideways ”are you allowed to have a drink? Or is your old man gonna kick you in the arse?”

”Nobody has the right to kick my arse until I can’t walk straight and do my job. But what are you doing here marimo?”

”Are you deaf?” he grumbled, unwrapping the foil from the bottle’s neck and  opening the safety lock. ”I told you I was waiting for you. Hold these” he held out the glasses and Sanji took them. They weren’t even real glasses just cheap plastic ones. Somehow it made the cook smile and his heart flutter a little. Zoro filled them, pouring the clear yellow-ish liquid until foam flowed over the brim.

Sanji chuckled.

”Very professional, marimo.”

”Ough, shut up.”

The cook snickered and handed him one of the glasses as the man set the bottle down.

”So” the blond said, sucking in his lips and running his tongue between them ”to the new year?”

”And for spending the remainder of this one well” Zoro said, clinging his glass to Sanji’s and taking a sip.

The cook however lowered his, looking the other in the eye.

”Zoro. Why are you here?” The swordsman’s head snapped up sharply, locking his eyes onto Sanji’s so the blond quickly continued. ”Because… this is all nice and I… actually I thought… wished for something like this. And you all just… here. Show up just at the right time. When I needed...”

Something changed in the green haired man’s eyes, like an extra spark was lit in it. His eyes were smiling, and a second later his lips followed. He let out a huff and Sanji watched as the light illuminated his breath. It reminded him of steam as it was ghastly flowing in the air.

The man leaned forward as he opened his mouth, maybe to say something and Sanji instinctively did the same…when the background door swung open and a gruff looking Zeff stepped out. 

”What do you think you’re doing you shitty little eggplant?! We’ve been looking for you for the last ten minutes! Get your ass in here and… bring that in here too!”

Sanji looked at his watch with widening eyes and gulping down his champagne he shot to his feet and made his way inside passing by the old chef. He had no right to argue and he knew that – they’d been outside for more than fifteen minutes without him noticing. How could time fly by like that?

He turned and saw Zoro following him, looking cautiously at his father then stepping close to him. He looked almost sheepish. It was adorable.

”We’re almost done bringing out the champagne!” the old chef continued.  ”And you!” He jabbed a finger at Zoro. ”Are you any good with carrying plates?”

Zoro made a face.

”Well… I can do heavy stuff if needed…”

Zeff seemed to consider this then nodded.

”You’re gonna deal with the full plates and help with the pig. Eggplant, send him to the office and give him a shirt.” He looked down at the swordsman’s black trousers and nodded. ”The pants can stay. Nobody will pay attention to him anyway.”

_Oooh I’d gladly pay attention to Zoro’s pants,_  Sanji thought but knew better than to waste a moment and grabbing the other’s hand he pulled the green haired man after himself. They went in the back office and Sanji slammed the door behind them.

”Take off your clotches.”

The green haired man’s eyes widened.

”What?!”

”You heard the old man” Sanji continued, crossing to the cupboard where they kept most of the paperwork and the spare stuff. ”Take off your shirt I’ll give you a new one, you’re temporarily hired.”

He raked over the shirts but suddenly remembered he had no idea about Zoro’s size so he turned his head to ask, only to get an eyeful of the bigger man’s abs and chest as he tried to shimmy himself out his shirt and pullover at once.

Sanji’s mouth watered. His fingertips itched as he imagined them raking over the tight skin and it felt like his whole body was being pulled towards him, to that man he had an undeniable crush on for months. He wanted to taste him, wanted to lick him until his mouth was full of his sweaty, salty taste and chewed and kissed his lips until they were swollen and shaking…

Zoro’s head popped out  and Sanji turned quickly, in imitation of his search for clothes. He wanted to slam his head into the floor or on the wooden side of the shelves but he didn’t want Zoro to ask questions. He cleared his throat.

”Wha-what’s your size marimo?” excellent question, Sanji really wanted to find that out anyway.

”Well twice as yours at least” the man grumbled with a hint of joking mockery in his voice.

Sanji’s willpower was weakening. In sharp contrast to his libido, which was almost hitting the ceiling now. He let out an exasperated sigh, tossed a shirt in the man’s general direction, and went back to searching. He found the spare aprons immediately and tied a medium long black one with two pockets around his waist and saw that the swordsman had just finished the last buttons right under his Adam’s apple. Oh gods he looked sizzling hot.

”What’s that for?” Zoro gestured at the apron.

”It’s for the waiters. See these pockets? It’s easier to keep the notebooks for the orders and pen in there.” Also it’s very good to hide unwanted boners, thank you very much.

”Ah” Zoro commented intelligently. ”Will I need one?”

Sanji waved his hand.

”Nah. You’ll only need to carry the heavy stuff.”

”Only after my body eh, cook?” the man grinned, showing his white canines and Sanji turned immediately. He was sure he couldn’t contain the blush if he’d have to stare at that face for long.

”Ties, however” the blonde continued, trying to sound nonchalant ”well, maybe we should give you one.”

He picked one up and held it out. Zoro stared at it, his trademark scowl returning to his forehead.

”I can’t tie it.”

”It’s a tie.”

”No shit, cook.”

Sanji clasped his hand over his eyes at the – very very bad – joke.

”How old are you again?” he asked, but stepped closer, not actually waiting for an answer. He hooked the tie around, under the other man’s collar and started to tie it, focusing on his work. It was harder than doing it for himself, especially feeling as if the mosshead’s eyes were burning holes into him. The cook’s fingers slipped and buckled, and he snapped his head up angrily.

”What?!” then he froze.

He was right, the swordsman was staring at him from under half-lidded eyes. The light above them made his eyelashes cast long shadows over his face. His expression was unguarded as he was sucking in a shallow breath from between his slightly open lips as Sanji’s eyes met his.

The sight was making Sanji lightheaded. His body seemed to move on its own as he leaned closer, hesitatingly, each small millimetre after another and the swordsman still didn’t shy away.

The cook’s own lips parted and there really wasn’t much space left between them ---when the door banged open and Zeff stomped  in. He looked at them as they sprang apart.

”Are you done? Good, you took your fuckin’ time. Go shitty eggplant. And you! Follow me! And leave the tie it’s horrific.”

Sanji darted out of the room without looking back, and the swordsman’s attention snapped over at the elder chef and followed, his trademark scowl settling over his brows.

Zoro really didn’t expect this night to turn-out like this. But what  _had_  he expected anyway? He just stood up two hours ago in his apartment, grabbed the bottle of champagne he’d bought earlier, and headed to the Baratie without thinking much.

He’d just wanted to see the cook.

Their steps were muffled by the music coming from the end of the corridor and the swordsman’s thoughts wandered to the previous events. How Sanji’s nimble fingers had moved just above his collarbone. The light from the lamp making the top of his blonde hair shine softly. The swordsman wondered how’d it feel against his lips. He was still entranced when the cook looked up. The swordsman wasn’t really sure exactly what had happened because those piercing blue eyes glued him to the spot. He watched the cook move but was unable to react; Afraid of breaking the moment by giving into temptation and hooking his arms around him. Kissing his lips gently. Burying his face in the crook of his neck and breathing in. Just holding him close a little would have been enough.

Something stirred in the pit of his stomach, then he realized the elder chef came to a halt in front of him. They were standing in the kitchen. Of course he hadn’t paid any attention on the way there. Well.

”Okay you scamps I got you another pair of hands, so stop the pitiful whining! Patty! He’ll carry the roasted pig with you! Make him busy! I’ll be right back.” He slapped Zoro on the back and stomped out of the kitchen.

The green haired man looked at the cooks as they regarded him. None of them looked really trustworthy at first glance, and they didn’t even try to look friendly.

A voice boomed on the left making the swordsman snap his head.

”Oy you!” the man addressed as Patty was waving at him. ”Get your filthy ass over here and make yourself useful.”

Zoro raised an eyebrow. So this was Sanji’s family. They looked quite alright.

”So do you have a name?” the man asked. His face was as pretty as his manners. ”Or want us to make one up for ya’?”

The swordsman shrugged. ”Zoro’ll be fine.”

”Zoro?” one head perked up from the crowd next to the ovens. ” _That_  Zoro?”

”What?” asked another.

”You know, Sanji’s guy? The one he always talks about?”

This caught Zoro’s attention but the voices mix together, unable to make sense to his ears. Goddamit. Was the blonde really talking about him?

”Alright, you ungrateful gossipy bastards move your ass!” Zeff boomed next to him and the swordsman saw his walrus moustache flex and point angrily, just like an extra body part. The green haired man recalled Zeff’s enormous moustage  and the cook’s curly brows. Is there something in the food?

Then he slammed his hand down Zoro’s shoulder and motioned him further into the kitchen.

”The damn brat told us you could get lost in a keyhole, so don’t lose us from sight.”

They went to a small room at the back where a whole pig was roasting above a small fire. The room smelled great of meat and heat, garlic and spicy oils. The green haired man took a deep breath instinctively. They definitely should do this at the summer tour.

”Okay broccoli boy…”

”It’s marimo” Zoro puts in without thinking.

”Whatever, don’t drool. We’re moving this beauty as soon the dishes are out, right after the countdown.

”Why not before it?”

Patty’s mouth lifted to a snarl like it gave him physical pain to answer to the dumbest question in the world. However Zoro didn’t have the slightest fuck to give, but he could already understand and feel the itch Sanji said he gets when talking to the guy.

”This beastie will symbolize the beginning of the new year. Now listen.”

The swordsman did and made out the slow counting in the main room. Patty grabbed a jar and a brush from the shelf and lathered the pig’s skin quickly one last time before moving on to the front, grabbing the covered end of the iron bar.

”Just lift it after you heard the yells, then we head out. And if you drop it I’ll serve you instead, lover boy!”

”Shut your useless mouth I can’t hear shit!”

”Why you…!”

But just then the noises erupted and Zoro grabbed the iron bar, moving it slightly just to jab it at the taller man’s shoulder. He grunted and started moving.

They stopped just before the open door leading to the main room, then Sanji waved his hand and they stepped in.

The guests erupted in another cheer as they lowered the pig onto the table prepared in the middle of the dancefloor. Zoro skipped next to Sanji at the end of the bar and watched, slightly amazed, as the people actually ran to the table, kids jumping up and down or trying to pick at the meat with their fingers while their parents loaded the dishes full with salads and vegetables and everything they could find on the table.

”Isn’t this just the best?”

The swordsman turned to the blond and felt his throat squeeze a little.

On the cook’s face, there was the brightest smile he’d ever seen. It made his eye shine with glee and pride and… he was beautiful.

Zoro couldn’t help it. Maybe the cook noticed his movement too because he turned just enough so Zoro could catch his lips with his ones.

For a moment, the blonde seemed to be frozen in shock but just before the swordsman could part, Sanji’s lips started to move on his.

It made something inside the swordsman sing. It was the best feeling… he could ever remember having. He heard his earrings cling softly as the cook’s fingers slid into his hairline on the side and Zoro felt his stubble brush against his chin.

He forced to resist his arms from moving, to entwine them around the cook’s lithe body and hold him flushed against his. The temptation was so strong his arms twitched and tingled at his side.

They had to part eventually, but whether it had been 20 seconds or 2 minutes, Zoro couldn’t tell as the cook’s fingertips caressed gently against his jaw while he leaned back.

The cook’s eyes were softly opening when Zoro started to panic.

He had to say something.

”Ha-Happy New Year?”

Sanji looked dazed for a moment. Then he bit his lower lip and blinked, a slight half-smile forming on the edge of his mouth.

”Happy New Year Marimo.”

 

* * *

 

** TBC **

** Thank you for my beta, sunshinesthroughtheclouds! Check her out on [Tumblr ](sunshinesthroughtheclouds.tumblr.com). Also[ I'm](giljethepinkgrinch.tumblr.com) there too **

** Reviews are always appreciated and giving me sugar-rush ;) **


	12. Chapter 12

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello guys, thanks for all the comments and kudos, how came to like this so much? It still amazes me everytime. (Pssst don't stop.)

Backseat serenade

Dizzy hurricane  
Oh god, I'm sick of sleeping alone  
You're salty like a summer day  
Kiss the sweat away  
To your radio

You take me over  
I throw you up against the wall  
We've seen it all before  
But this one's different  
It's deliberate

You send me reeling  
Calling out to you for more  
The value of this moment lives in metaphor  
Yeah, through it all

Backseat serenade  
Dizzy hurricane  
Oh god, I'm sick of sleeping alone  
You're salty like a summer day  
Kiss the sweat away  
To your radio

 

 

Everybody who've ever worked in a bar or restaurant on New Year's Eve knows one thing for sure: it is literally impossible to get prepared for it. You think you are but at the end of the night, you feel like a beaten warrior freshly off the war.  
Sanji, who's seen so many nights like this was hard to surprise – but these people were trying their best for sure. They were party veterans – dancing all night, some on the tables but most, thankfully on the dancefloor, and ordering drinks and food like a giant flood so when the cook finally caught a break, the first dim rays of the new years' sun was blinding him through the window next to the bar, where he'd collapsed and was itching for a cigarette.

It was 4.30 in the morning and the last guests had just left. They were funny people, but Sanji was glad for the quiet. His ears were still ringing a little.

"Don't you whine eggplant" came a gruff voice from behind the blond's back. Sanji didn't even bother to turn, just pressed half of his face to the cold glass.

"I haven't said anything old man. Don't you have someone else to bother?"

"Not since I sent your basalt-headed friend home."

Well this picked Sanji's attention.

"What?" he demanded.

"The guy. Tanned skin, hard features, and green hair. Default frown. Rings any bells?" Zeff asked as he strolled past Sanji.

"You sent him home?" the blond felt an odd disappointment in his stomach.

"Yeah. 'Bout two hours ago, with a load of leftovers and a Johnnie Walker. He came here but you were ass-deep taking orders so he used the back door out. Also sent you this."

He handed a piece of paper and the cook took it. It was the date and place of their late-new years' party which the blond already knew everything about – it was the same every year afterall – but somehow it brought a stupid smile on his face. His thoughts were already back on the little kiss they'd shared way after the countdown. Had the swordsman done that only because of the tradition? Yet the way he'd looked at Sanji just before he'd leaned close was giving him reason to hope for… something more. Something that made his chest flutter and his blood flow faster in his veins, despite the hours he'd worked through. He was a little embarrassed at how giddy the memory made him.  
But no matter how he looked at it, his first day of 2015 was definitely highlighted.

"Quit staring you scrawny sea-mammal and make yourself useful!"

"Who's the sea -mammal you oversized kitchen-rat?!" the blond snapped and pushed the paper in his pocket, and went to collect the dirty glasses. The sooner they finished the earlier he could go to bed.

 

~oOo~

Zoro was thinking about panicking. Actually, he was more like  _doing_  the panicking than just  _thinking_  about it, but he came to the conclusion that it was stupid and never lead anybody anywhere. Also it was so unlike him that it could actually tear the fabric of space and time.

So Zoro wasn't panicking anymore. He could be called nervous, maybe. A little. Maybe enough nervous not to drink the bottle of booze the weird headchef had given him a few days before, but hey, that just added another to the amount of bottles he was carrying towards Franky's house.

There was already music flowing from the dimly lit windows. Zoro was a few hours late thanks to the stupid traffic – the swordsman just couldn't wrap his head about why they changed the names of streets so often. He was about to start worrying his bike was going to stop working in the middle of nowhere and he'd have to walk to the nearest gas station – he didn't really want to risk that – when he finally found the right road and the engine fought its long way up heroically. And only died on the last ten minutes of the ride, so he had to push it up to the walkway. It was refreshing.

Thankfully the door wasn't locked, so the swordsman could ease his way inside without banging loudly on it.

The moment he was inside he recognized the familiar sounds of a videogame party over the music in the background. He walked in and saw Luffy pouting on the floor as Usopp fistpumped the air triumphantly. He'd easily whipped their captain's arse in Saint Seiya again.

Zoro snickered. It was amusing how a great fighter like him could be this bad at videogame combat.

"Oh, hey Zoro!" chirmed Chopper from the sofa, covered in candy wrappers. Zoro smiled and waved at the kid.

"You took your time!" Luffy whined, turning quickly back to the screen with full determination. "Sanji didn't let me eat the pizza until you' were here! Even if I told him you hate bacon and chicken slices!"

"Actually I love beacon and chicken slices."

"That's not the point!"

"Oh."

"You should probably get it swordsman-san before our captain looses it."

"I'm not losing anything here!" the dark haired kid roared, eyes glued to the screen while his fingers moved frantically over the control buttons, the tip of his tongue poking out his mouth. "I'll kick anyone's asses! Even Nami's!"

"What was that?" the red haired girl tone held that dangerous sweetness and Zoro decided it was time to leave. He'd seen the following scenario many times, and either Luffy was really that stupid to taunt the red witch, or was a secret masochist.

The green haired man's stomach rumbled. He hadn't eaten anything since breakfast and bringing the bike up all the way, had left him starving.

However, getting food meant going to the kitchen.

And kitchen usually meant Sanji.

The same Sanji, whom he'd very much kissed on New Year's Eve. And just for a little longer than when it could've been played off as nothing. Still not nearly long enough to satisfy him.

He'd expected the kiss to soothe the ache which had been growing inside him for months, and that his nerves would chill down a little now. God could have a little mercy on him, just this one time.

No such luck, of course.

Zoro sighed and rubbed his hands at the back of his neck. Hellboy was totally right, his insides felt like a goddamn amusement park and it had been driving him crazy. He hadn't been able to focus and meditate the past week, and there are probably new callouses on his right hand now.

Further explanations are unnecessary.

The most nagging question was what to do now. After weighing all his options – including acting like nothing had happened, to straight up skipping the party – he decided to stick to the most risky one.

Because if anything, Zoro wasn't a coward, and this would not be the time he'd start acting like one.

He wanted Sanji. Maybe he'd been wanting him from far before that night at the Baratie – but he'd needed the close proximity, to hold the blond in his arms and feeling the other man cling to him to realize. And even if the realization hadn't come fast, it'd come hard enough to leave him knocked out and a little breathless.

He stepped into the kitchen and let the plastic bag drop on the right edge of the doorway, making the bottles cling together. The cook, who had been preoccupied with whatever he was doing on the other side of the counter perked up at the sound, snapping his head around. Then his face contorted to a painful grimace the next moment, his hand massaging his neck, trying to ease the pain the strained nerve had caused. Zoro knew how awful a whiplash felt and his lips turned to a sympathetic half-smile.

"Jumpy, aren't we cook?"

"I thought Luffy was sneaking up on me again" he hissed and let his hand slide down his neck to drop by his side. Zoro smirked, it was nice to see the cook at ease in his own territory, wearing an apron as he always did when Zoro saw him cooking at his home. This one however, was a red one, with a big 'Aloha' written with white letters on top and a cartoonishly drawn dick under it, dancing in a hula-skirt and a chef's hat. It was so ridiculous the swordsman didn't even have to think to know it belonged to Franky.

He kind of wished for the pink one though. It was a strange addiction he'd developed through the rare afternoons when he was watching the blond cook, putting his mind to rest while his eyes followed the fluid movements of his back, or the slight bouncing as he tapped the floor with his bare feet on the rhythm of a song he was humming under his breath. It was simply endearing until a dream about Sanji wearing nothing else but that, which turned the innocent scene to one of his favourite private fantasies.

Not in this red one though. It was just ridiculous.

"Earth to Marimo" Zoro flinched as the cook snapped his fingers in front of his eyes. "Hey, welcome back. Where were you?"

"Apron" the word slipped through the swordsman's lips before he could stop it. The heat immediately started to rise to his cheeks but the blonde just raised an eyebrow and glanced down.

"Yeah… we bought it for Franky's last birthday" he said, tugging at the fabric."It seemed like a good idea but I'm not that sure, now that I have to wear it."

"Pfff" the swordsman snickered. The blonde turned back with a half-shrug.

"What are you making anyway? "the green haired man asked, stepping closer. "I heard we have pizza."

"Do you like pizza?"

Zoro stopped behind Sanji's back. The cook hadn't looked at him and something sounded a little off in his voice.

"Yeah, I'm ok with it. Not on the universal 'everyone loves pizza' level, but I don't mind it once in a while. Bonnie's was especially good."

"Ah, ok. They are in the oven though, take them out and bring them to the others. I'll be right there in a minute."

Zoro's frown deepened. He glanced behind at the brightly lid oven at the other end of the kitchen, then back at the cook's back.

"What are you making?" he asked, more curious, leaning to look over his shoulder.

"Back off" the cook snapped, showing him off. Zoro felt irritation grow in his chest. What the hell?

"Fat chance, shitcook." He growled and shot out his hand, shoving him aside. The blonde staggered and the riceball fell from his hands with a soft 'thump'.

"Fuck you bastard" the blonde fussed, trying to get the bits from the sink, but Zoro ignored it. He was stunned by the five, perfectly shaped riceballs sitting in front of him on a small wooden tray.

"You… made these? Onigiri? For me?"

Sanji puffed out a sigh and dryed his hands with a cloth, purposefully avoiding the other man's gaze.

"Well, yeah shithead, I just thought you might miss some…" the cook could go only this far, before the swordsman pushed him against the nearest wall, locking their lips.

Sanji didn't even have time to react. His body went rigid and mind shut down with his arms frozen in mid-raise next to the swordsman's sides.

The green haired man however noticed the lack of response and pulled back. It wasn't even on the proper scales of 'dumb' – he might have just created a new level of stupidity. He had to say something to save this somehow.

"I'm so—"

"Tss, shut up" Sanji whispered quickly, clasping a hand over his mouth. With his other, he grabbed the green man's shirt and dragged him into the storage room, kicking it closed behind them.

Well Zoro was prepared for anything. Large knives and death-threats, at the very least.

Definitely not for the cook's lips on his though. Which doesn't mean he hadn't been hoping – he just thought it was as likely to happen as Luffy gaining a PhD in astrophysics.

Well, if the sentiment goes, their captain had to be a goddamn hidden genius.

The cook's lips were more firm and demanding than his were before. They were speaking of heat and hunger. Before Zoro knew it, Sanji had licked his way into his mouth and buried his fingers in his hair.

The kisses quickly turned heavy and open mouthed. Zoro opened his eyes to look at the cook's face – the blush staining his cheeks was still noticeable despite the semi-darkness. His bangs parted slightly so he could see both of his eyes now – they were shut tightly, and his brows furrowed in concentration on kissing the hell out of him. And boy was he good. Zoro could easily hold out without oxygen for the rest of his life if it meant the cook would keep on kissing him.

"Sanji…" he whispered into his mouth.

"Not yet…" the cook's voice came husky and cracking. He turned his head to change the angle and licked along the roof of the swordsman's mouth, earning a small moan and tightening hands on his hips in reward.

Zoro's head started to spin. He was having like a dozen questions. Or just a few he should think about. Like what all of this meant? Was the cook acting on instinct or does he wants him at least half as much as Zoro does? That would be more than enough because the swordsman's mind was so wrapped around the cook he had trouble to focus on anything else. If he could translate the cook's soft lips and tongue, his stupid goatee burning against his skin and the fingers entangled in his hair, then they might say he was trying to makes sure the swordsman wouldn't escape.

His hands slid further down, over the nice curve of the cook's ass and squeezed, pressing his hips closer. It drew a soft, whimpering gasp from the blond. He broke away, and started planting small kisses on his cheekbone and ear, Sanji worked his way down to Zoro's throat, sucking on the sensitive skin just under his ear.

How Sanji found all the right places, Zoro had no idea, but it took all his willpower to hold on to his self-restrain . Because, you know, the whole crew in the hall. And pizza in the oven, which will draw a bold Luffy to the kitchen sooner rather than later, most likely. And from that will come the question of their whereabouts, which will be quickly discovered by the sounds they were pulling out off each other.

They can't do it in the storeroom.

He swallowed back a moan as Sanji bit on the crook of his neck.

"Sanji…" he said, lacing his fingers around the cook's upper arms.

"Wha—"

The swordsman gulped as he tried to divert his focus from the hot breath on his skin. He had to be reasonable here.

"They're gonna come."

"So are you."

Zoro's breath hitched as a new wave of arousal hit him. When did the blond become this determined? Zoro's stubborn hands were still over the cook's perfect ass, drawing him closer, while his thumbs slid under the waistband. His body didn't give a fuck about reasons.

"Luffy" the swordsman gulped. "He'll come for the pizza's."

"He can have them" the cook muttered, sliding his hands under Zoro's blue hoodie and splaying his fingers over his torso. Sanji let out a breathy moan and leaned closer, so Zoro could feel his hard erection pressing against his thigh.

The blue irises were half-lidded and heavy with lust.

The sight made Zoro's mouth water and something tremble inside his body.

"I bet you're loud" his thought slipped from his mouth without a chance to stop the words. Damnit. Zoro had enough issues around the guy already, especially when they got in three meter's proximity – which he always did, because, what was personal space even? - But toss a big amount of horniness and determination to the mix and the green-haired man's mental filter flies away with the morning birds.

Whatever Sanji was about to say died in his throat and his hands tightened around Zoro's sides. For a moment, the green-haired man thought he'd said something wrong until he was how the blonde was biting on his lips, sucking the bottom into his mouth.

"You are, aren't you?"

The swordsman practically saw the heat rising up his cheeks as the cook attempted a glare, without any conviction. But trying to use the moment of stillness, the swordsman thought of another idea to reason with.

"We should take this somewhere else. You'd hate to do it near to the food wouldn't you?"

But what Zoro got wasn't quite the horrified realization he was aiming for. Something heavy and longing flashed in the blue irises and the swordsman felt the cook's hip jerk up against his own, rubbing their hardened lengths together. Sanji's hands moved even further, lifting Zoro's shirt up enough to expose his bare stomach until they were clutching in his hair, drawing him closer.

„Shut up" the blonde licked his lips as if getting thoroughly fucked in the food store was one of the kinkiest thoughts he could ever come up with. Judging by the heat radiating from his body, and the force by which he clashed their mouths together, it probably was. Then his hands were slowly moving again, his nails and fingertips caressing down his back, and digging under the green haramaki. The blond grunted and the swordsman shuddered a little as the cook's fingertips caressed the sensitive skin just above his ass. Well, the swordsman hadn't known it was sensitive, until this point. Maybe it wasn't. Maybe it was just the blond.

The cook let out another displeased grunt.

"I want you out of this stupid piece of clothing."

Zoro's eyes widened a fraction. It was quite amusing how the cook sounded, as if the belly-warmer had personally offended him.

"Well, it was  _your_  fucking present to me" the swordsman said, not at all trying to hide how the cook's anger entertained him.

"Ugh don't even remind me, I wanted to rip it off of you the moment you put it on." He was about to yank at the damned clotch again when they heard delicate, but sure steps coming into the kitchen. The heels were hitting a calm, even clap-clap-clap before coming to a halt.

Sanji looked at the swordsman's face and Zoro turned from looking at the door into the dark, deep blue irises.

"Robin-chan" he mouthed soundlessly, making Zoro roll his eyes. Of course the girl-crazy cook would recognize who the steps belonged to. He tried to convince himself it wasn't irritating him soas much as it did.

On the other hand, it was Sanji, who was climbing onto him just a half minute ago, and clapped his hand over the green haired man's mouth to silence him, completely unnecessarily.

On a whim, Zoro licked the cook's palm, as long and wet as he could. It took everything from Sanji not to make a loud sound of disgust, and wiping his hand. Sanji sent his best deathglare at the swordsman's smug face.

The clapping of the heels started up again and faded slowly towards the living room. The cook let out a breath and his shoulders dropped.

"Hey" the swordsman said and the blonde turned to face him again, only to be captured by the swordsman's lips. It made the cook jump a little, but just when he felt his body relax and melt against the other, Zoro pulled back.

"Patience shitcook. It would be too suspicious if we'd just disappear don't you think?" He was whispering his words just milimeters from the blonde's face, eyes still locked at his bruised, half-open mouth. It was extremely distracting, for both sides. "Are you gonna leave them without food? Luffy's gonna eat Usopp by the morning and I betcha he doesn't taste half as good as the meal in the oven… or the one who made it."

The cook felt his libido rise at the innuendo and let Zoro steal another small peck from his lips before they were ready to part. He opened the door red faced, and admittedly a little weak in the knees, but in the brief knowledge that a certain swordsman was following him closely, eyes glued on his ass.

This was going to be a long night.

 

~oOo~

It certainly was going harder than Zoro had expected. The first two went down relatively easy, but after the third tequila, the cook's laughter got louder and high pitched.

Which would be funny, if only the cook hadn't been sliding closer to him every time he leaned back. At this point, barely halfway through Nami's drinking game, their fingers were inches away from each other and their shoulders brushed occasionally as the blond was swaying slightly in his seat. And with every sway and sudden movement, he got a nice view of the cook's neck and collarbones through the opened buttons on the top of the blond's shirt.

Shit. Zoro might have a problem if such a small patch of skin could make him all hot and bothered like that. For one horrifying moment, a certain part of Moulin Rouge's 'Like a Virgin' flashed before his eyes, making him curse Nami into eternity for blackmailing him into watch it.

"Zoro!"'

The sudden call of his name made him jump and rip his eyes from the point where the cook's bangs met his neck under his ear and look at his surroundings. Everybody was watching him expectantly, including Nami, who was smiling at him over the pointing end of the bottle with a catlike grin.

Again, shit.

"Zoroooo…" her voice was almost a purr. The exact same tone she used while raising his debt. It had a pavlovian effect on him, lighting a big red alarm in his head.

He knew the wiser thing was to stay quiet and play nice, if he wanted to escape relatively unharmed.

"What do you want, witch?" he barked back instead.

_Oh for fucks' sake, Zoro_! he thought to himself.

"Truth or dare Zoro?" asked Vivi instead, cocking her blue haired head in his line of view. Nami was still looking at him with an ominous expression. There was something coy dancing in her eyes, and the wheels screeched in the swordsman's head – she'd noticed him staring at the blond. Observation was one of her main talents – and even if Zoro usually was a master in controlling his emotions, it wasn't his mind that had been in charge for the bigger half of the night. And that was enough for the red headed demon to notice  _something._

Truth? Hell no. The last thing he needed was another imbalancing event.

"Dare!" he yelled. And by the sight of Nami's expression, he instantly knew he'd fucked up.

"Ugh, bro, haven't you been here for the last hour?" Franky whispered, leaning closer and over Sanji. "Nami-sis gives the worst dares ever, not joking."

"Yea, uh, I still remember the lapdance she made you give me" groaned Usopp, visibly pained by the memory. Zoro really didn't need that mental image .

"Sorry bro. But I tried to make the best out of it" added the man with a shrug.

"I thought it was super" commented Robin serenely besides him and the man turned towards her in an instant.

"I would gladly give you one too. With all of the extra services."

"Oh, can I use my discount coupons?"

"I fear love I'm way too expensive, but I'll figure something out." Franky grinned down at her, showing his filthiest smile, and ugh, Zoro didn't need that mental image either.

On the other hand, the cook was strangely quiet beside him. The green haired man was still leaning over him a little. He glanced down but the blonde didn't meet his eyes. With lips just a tiny bit open, his own blue eyes downcast, glued to the swordsman's neck. He hadn't noticed him looking yet, but the swordsman could feel the cook's gaze caressing his skin and sliding over his pulse, hovering there under fluttering yellow lashes. Then the cook's Adam's apple bobbed softly and Zoro thought he might just loose it.

He needed a distraction, so he turned back to the game.

"So Zoro" Nami started the moment his ass hit the floor again. "I dare you too…" she dragged the word out and tapped her chin with a well-manicured finger as if thinking really hard. It was all play and bullshit though, Zoro was already familiar with the act. He mentally rolled his eyes and produced the most unimpressed face he could.

"…lick Sanji's eyebrow."

He might've just spat out his own spit.

"Wha-what?!" he managed, still coughing out the words.

"You heard it. You already have a weird fascination with them, judging on the amount of time you mention them, so go on, this is your chance. Lick it, big guy."

"I'm out."

"What?" asked Nami, cocking her head.

"You heard me. I leave the game" said the swordsman, getting ready to stand.

"Ow, come on bro you can't do that" whined the blue haired man on the left. "That's just – "

"Yeah Zoro, that's just-"

"I'll cut your dept by 20%, if you do it" Nami said, cutting off Sabo's protest.

There was dead silence for a good minute as everybody looked at the woman in shock. She had never offered a cut to anyone, let alone to her favorite slave.

Zoro turned slowly to meet the red-headed witch's high and steady gaze. He wouldn't care about a raise – he was already in lifelong debt of the demon- woman, but a cut off… that would be an entirely different matter.

He slowly lowered himself back to his place, accompanied by Luffy's loud cheering and Chopper's happy chirping, but most of the group just watched with high interest and equally raised eyebrows.

"Good" Nami purred, sitting back onto her heels. "Get on with it or I might take back my offer."

Zoro huffed and turned to the cook, cupping his chin with one hand. The blond looked back at him with one visible dilated, alcohol-hazy eye and smirked slightly. The swordsman didn't need much time to get the unspoken innuendo. He knew exactly what was going on in that perverted mind of his.

He sighed, willing his pulse to stay steady and leaned in. They were already close enough that he could feel his own breath ghosting over the cook's skin but the deep blue iris was still following him as he drew closer and Zoro's lips felt terribly dry all of a sudden.

"Minus 30% if you straddle his lap."

The murmur died down once again and Zoro looked back at her. Nami grinned and the room suddenly erupted in cheers and loud encouragements. Zoro whined, and, accompanied with loud  _go-go-go_ -s and  _you can do it bro!-_ s lifted a leg over the cook's long ones, settling down lightly. The blond's hands instantly flew to his waist, fingers pressing against the thick fabric of the haramaki.

Zoro's adam's apple bobbed as he looked down at the cook's blue eye and smug, grinning face.

"Your ears are so red" he whispered only for the two of them to hear.

"Shut up" Zoro snapped, but it only made the grin stretch wider on the blond's face.

"Zoro."

The room quieted down again.

"Do it slow and sensual and I'm cutting off another extra 5%."

Somebody whistled behind his back but Zoro ignored it. The heat from the blonde's skin warmed up his palms, and small patches of red coloured his cheeks and the bridge of his nose. It had been too dark in the goddamn storage room earlier to properly see, but now the swordsman was damn sure this was how the blonde must have looked like, grinding against him and arms around his neck, before he decided they had to stop and act like normal adults out here.

Zoro swor he'd hire somebody to shoot him, if he denied this horny, gorgeous blond ever again. Or if he simply let him out of reach.

The hooting got louder behind them and Sanji closed his eyes as the swordsman started leaning closer. And the swordsman swor he'd tilted his head upward a little bit so his eyes could fall on his soft pink lips, because that's the little shit who he was.

Well. Two can play that game. And if Nami's really gonna cut that extra 5 percent he might as well make a small show of it.

He let his thumbs caress across the blonde's sharp cheekbones while his hands slid further and his fingers buried deeper into the golden locks at the nape of Sanji's neck.

The blond let out a startled, shaky gasp and the swordsman grinned. It was also an interesting experiment.

He slid his fingers up and down Sanji's neck, fingernails scraping against the skin. From the small tremors of the cook's body it was a sensitive spot. The swordsman was very determined to find out as much as possible in the shortest amount of time. Although, he wouldn't mind taking longer if the circumstances were different.

His thumbs ran back along the blond's jaw to just below his lower lip, feeling the harsh hair of the goatee. The shaky breath carried a little sigh as it escaped between the blonde's parted lips, but he didn't pay attention. His gaze followed the thin path of his thumbs down Sanji's long neck, enjoying the soft twitch of muscles, the soft pink-ish flush of his skin, the rising heat under the opened collar.

Zoro wanted to touch and the cook seemed eager to lean in just as much. And he knew, if they don't end this soon one of them was gonna snap.

The swordsman shifted himself and raised above the blonde, fingers clenching in the blond hair and tilting his head again. He felt the cook's hands fisting into his clothes at his sides, which he took as encouragement and – instead of dragging the edge of his tongue slowly over the hairs of the curly line – licked a long wet stripe along the half of the cook's forehead.

Because that's just the little shit he was.

A shiver ran through Sanji's body and Zoro leaned back to watch the disgusted grimace spread over the cook's face. The group cheered behind his back.

"I bet you're glad you're still wearing that apron right now" Zoro whispered, grinning. Using the cook's hand, which he'd raised to wipe his forehead, to lean closer, he touched the tip of his nose to the blond's earlobe.

The cook tried to send a death glare, but the red hot flush over his features severely undermined the effect.

"I wouldn't talk like that if I were in your place" he answered on the same mocking, honey sweet voice, glancing down. " Adjust your haramaki before you sit down, you bastard."

 

~oOo~

"Well" said Nami after everybody returned to their place, clearing her voice "that production was clearly worth that 40%.

"Uhm, I think it was 35?" asked Vivi in a small, confused voice.

"Well they clearly more than filled that 5%" answered Robin with a hint of amusement, turning to the redhead. "Am I right, Nami?"

"I can't find a reason to object."

 

~oOo~

Several empty bottles and traumatic dares later, half of the crew were laying around, passed out or half dead on the hardwood floor.

As time went, the game quieted down to a soft murmur, and the crew scattered around, trying to find the most comfortable positions and fighting with drowsiness and, failing miserably.

Zoro's back was against a wall, enjoying it's cooling effect on his overheated body. It always happened when he drank a little too much, but now with two extra bodies leaning against him, it was much more disagreeable.

He glanced at the blond on his left. His arms were clumsily folded in his lap, head dropped against the swordsman's shoulder. Zoro wasn't sure if he was asleep or not, but except from the soft rising of his chest and the occasional twitch of his lips, he hadn't moved for the past ten minutes and his breath had evened out too.

Chopper wasn't a surprise. As the night went on and the signs of tiredness appeared on his face, the little guy had slowly gravitated towards him. Somewhere between Franky getting his toenails painted by Usopp, and Luffy eating a raw broccoli, the kid had draped himself over the blonde and rested his head on the swordsman's thigh.

The green-haired man let his head fall back too, stroking the kid's hair and was contentedly looking at the crew through half-lidded eyes.

The sight was post-apocalyptic – Luffy was upside down, his feet sticking to the air against the opposite wall, his right hand dropped in an empty bowl of chips. Franky and Robin were a tangled mess but still conscious, while Vivi, Kohza, Sabo, Ace and Brook were snoring comfortably in a big puppy pile.

"Ugh, let's call it a night then" said Nami, scrambling unsteadily to her feet and looking around for usable members. She nudged the cook's leg and he, Franky and Zoro – after rolling Chopper gently to the side – took out the spare matrasses and dragged their friends into place, while the redhead draped blankets over them. In the darkness, all the noises quieted down, and Zoro thought he'd fall asleep the second his head hit the pillow.

"Uuuugh."

The swordsman looked at the blond sitting next to him, leaning back on his elbows.

"Are you going to throw up?"

"Shut up" Sanji groaned, squeezing his eyes. "The world'z fuckin' spins."

Zoro snickered.

"Do you need anything?"

"Time" Sanji rubbed the bridge of his nose and looked down. "I can't sleep until I sober up or I'll put a really dramatic end to the night. You can sleep though, it'll pass soon."

"Lightweigh."

"Fuck you."

"We were already at that point today."

Sanji let out a pained noise, and Zoro grinned, turning onto his stomach.

"How much time do you need?"

"An hour? Or so?"

"No problem" said the swordsman, stifling a yawn.

"What?"

"I'll wait with you."

"You wa-…what? Why?"

"Making sure your pansy ass survives the night."

"Go the fuck to sleep."

Zoro snickered and looked at the blonde in the darkness. The first pale light of the morning barely illuminated his features as he tiredly rubbed at his eyes.

"You didn't seem to have any problems just before."

"Yeah" the cook nodded, massaging his temples. "We were sitting, I guess."

"… do you think you could sleep like that?"

"What, sitting?"

"Yep." The green haired man turned, looking behind himself. "I could put my mattress against the wall and we could sit on yours."

Sanji seemed to consider this.

"That's surprisingly thoughtful of you, marimo. Let's do it."

In three minutes, they were huddled together, shoulder to shoulder, their backs against the mattress.

"You know what?" Sanji whispered and Zoro turned to him. "This is fuckin' stupid."

They looked at each other and erupted in muffled laughter. Then shuffled down comfortably, pulling the blankets to their chins.

"Also, really… nice."

"Mmmhm."

"Hey."

Zoro looked back and Sanji kissed him softly on the lips, then leaned back immediately.

"Is… this okay?"

Zoro grinned, and cupped his face in his hands.

"More than." The swordsman whispered, and kissed him back, long and slow. Sanji smelled like sweat, sweet alcohol and cigarettes, his hair damp at the back of his head. Zoro wanted to taste him more, to lick his way in and explore the inside his mouth. But, maybe it wasn't the best idea with one of them nauseous and the other had been drinking for the better half of the night.

So Zoro pulled back, rearranged the blankets over them, tugging the blond closer.

"Go to sleep, you curly loser."

"Shut your trap, useless moss. You stink."

Zoro smirked and the cook's head fell once again on his shoulder, trying to find a comfortable position, and probably failing miserably. Zoro was far from comfortable too, but it mattered less in that moment.

It was… warm.

* * *

 

**TBC**

Song is Backseat Serenade by All Time Low

**Author's Note:**

> Hello guys! So this is my firt fanfiction, hope you'll enjoy it.


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